BNP Paribas Wealth Management is deepening its commitment to single-family offices (SFOs) in the Middle East, bolstering its regional platform with new capabilities, senior hires and a broader private asset offering.
The push comes on the back of the bank’s second Middle East Single Family Office Forum, held in Dubai in October, which underscored its ambition to become the long-term partner of choice for global families operating across the region.
The October SFO Forum convened SFOs, academics, advisors and BNP Paribas specialists for discussions under the theme ‘The family blueprint’. Sessions focused on the foundations of multi-generational success — shared values, clarity of vision and robust governance.
Participants examined how families are adapting to a fast-changing landscape shaped by regulatory shifts, new technologies and evolving investment preferences, with experts stressing the growing importance of structured governance and thoughtful succession planning.
Strengthening capabilities
BNP Paribas WM is reinforcing its OneBank model for SFOs through the expanded Entrepreneurs & Families SFO Initiative, which integrates wealth management, asset management, securities services, real estate, global markets and other divisions under a unified governance framework.
The bank has also added senior leadership roles globally and regionally to support the increasingly complex needs of large family clients.
In parallel, rising demand for private assets among SFOs has prompted new senior hires across private equity, hedge funds and alternative investments.
The acquisition of AXA IM adds further scale, significantly broadening the Group’s global private assets and alternatives platform.
Looking ahead
BNP Paribas WM’s SFO roadmap centres on three pillars, including strengthening the regional community through recurring peer-exchange events like the SFO Forum; expanding investment and advisory capabilities in areas such as private markets and multi-jurisdictional structuring; and deepening its OneBank delivery model to ensure seamless access to the full group offering.
‘Our focus on SFOs is strategic, and we are positioning ourselves as their partner of choice in the region,’ said Antoine Chemali, CEO of BNP Paribas WM Middle East. ‘The SFO Forum is a key pillar of this mission — a platform that connects families committed to building sustainable, multi-generational legacies.’
