British Arab Commercial Bank (BACB) has hired Paul Jennings as chief banking officer and deputy chief executive. 

Jennings previously spent more than 21 years at ABC Bank, most recently as managing director and chief executive. He was also group head of the bank’s global trade finance business between 2005 and 2015. 

BACB, which specialises in supporting trade in emerging markets, has tasked Jennings with leading business development and front office operations across trade finance and real estate, hailing his “invaluable experience working in specialist markets in the Middle East and Africa”. 

Jennings is also a board member of the Libyan British Business Council and the Arab Bankers’ Association, which BACB says gives him a “unique understanding of [its] core markets, products and services”. 

He will report directly to chief executive Eddie Norton. “His appointment to the executive committee comes at a very important time for BACB as global trade recovers,” Norton says. 

Jennings’ appointment follows the naming of Michael Rolfe as BACB’s trade finance head in July this year, taking over the role from Jeff Fallon following his retirement. Rolfe also continued his previous role as head of commodity finance.