Oceanic Bank and Trust Limited has opened a marketing office in London, located at 36 King Street, Covent Garden. This new office is in addition to the corporate head office located at TK House, Bayside Executive Park and the Freeport Branch Office, located at Second Floor, Suite No. 2, First Commercial Centre, East Mall Drive, Freeport, Grand Bahama.
Bruce Bell’s Oceanic’s Managing Director said: *”We consider a presence in London a vital move in our evolving growth and development. The opening of this office is further evidence of our confidence in the long-term viability of and prospects for The Bahamas as a prestige International Financial Centre.”*
He continued, *”Private banking is expanding globally and we feel there will be increased demands for Oceanic’s services from Europe, a great deal of which will flow through professional intermediaries based in London.”*
Oceanic’s London Office is headed up by international career banker, David Barron, who comes to Oceanic with over 22 years experience as an international banker spent with The Royal Bank of Scotland Group until his retirement in 2000. His most recent position was Managing Director of Royal Bank of Scotland’s Nassau office. David was a director of the Association of International Banks and Trust Companies, latterly serving as Vice Chairman. *”I am very much looking forward to flying the Bahamian and Oceanic flags in London and to date there has been a very positive response from the partners within the private client practices of the major legal and accountancy firms in the City of London.”*
Oceanic was incorporated in The Bahamas in 1982 and expanded in 1998 through the acquisition of New World Trustees (Bahamas) Limited, formerly Rawson Trust. The two legal entities merged on 31 December 1999 under the name Oceanic Bank and Trust Limited. Combined assets under management exceed US$3.5 billion.