Arab Bank Switzerland has appointed Elissar Farah Antonios, to the Board of ABS (Middle East) Limited, its newly established entity in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Properties ). This strategic move reinforces the Geneva-based private banking group’s long-standing commitment to the Middle East, building on six decades of serving entrepreneurs, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals in the region. The announcement coincides with the launch of ABS (Middle East) Limited in DIFC, where Samir Atitallah has been named Chief Executive Officer to lead the Bank’s operations and drive regional growth.
Founded in 1962, Arab Bank Switzerland has earned a strong reputation in wealth management, corporate and trade finance, and digital assets, with the ABS Group managing nearly USD 25 billion in assets.
Elissar Farah Antonios brings nearly three decades of experience in private banking, corporate and institutional banking, and regional leadership across the Middle East and North Africa. She is the #Founder and #CEO of Soul Ventures Holding LTD , an investment management firm focused on impact-driven opportunities that deliver both financial and social returns.
Her career includes 20 years at Citi , where she served as CEO of Citibank UAE and Head of Citi’s MENA Cluster, leading the bank’s largest and most diverse franchise in the region. She also held leadership roles at Citibank Lebanon and Citi Private Banking in Abu Dhabi, among other senior positions. Earlier, she worked at Republic National Bank of New York, Groupe Crédit Agricole Indosuez (CALYON), and ABN AMRO Bank N.V. Private Bank, covering markets in AbuDhabi, Dubai, and Egypt.
Beyond her executive career, Ms. Antonios is deeply engaged in board and advisory roles, including the Advisory Council of Aurora50 , Board Member of Dubai Chambers, Advisory Board Member of Cosmopoints, Chair of INJAZ UAE, and Board of Trustees of the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) ) , where she chairs the investment committee. She is also Co-Vice President of Women Execs on Boards (WEOB).
Her contributions to the region’s financial and business landscape have earned her recognition as one of Forbes Middle East’s 100 Most Powerful and Influential Arab Businesswomen.
Ms. Antonios holds an MBA in Finance from Imperial College London and a BSc in Mathematics from the American University of Beirut . She is fluent in Arabic, English, and French.
Her appointment to the Board of ABS (Middle East) Limited underscores Arab Bank Switzerland’s commitment to strong governance and transformational leadership, combining deep financial expertise with a proven ability to drive growth in complex, multi-market organizations.
