{
  "id": 6371760,
  "title": "Oman’s No 2 bank Sohar International to open representative office in Hong Kong this week",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/omans-no-2-bank-sohar-international-to-open-representative-office-in-6371760",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-09T02:00:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SCMP Business",
    "slug": "scmp-business",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3366841/omans-no-2-bank-sohar-international-open-representative-office-hong-kong-week"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sohar International Bank, Oman's second-largest financial institution, plans to open a representative office in Hong Kong this week, signaling the city's growing significance as a stable financial hub amidst Middle East conflicts, according to sources. The bank's CEO, Abdulwahid Mohamed Al Murshidi, is scheduled to visit Hong Kong for the inauguration ceremony on Thursday morning, though the bank declined to comment on the matter as of Tuesday.\n\nThe new office, situated at Cheung Kong Center II in Central, marks Sohar International's first foray into the international market, underscoring its commitment to internationalizing its business operations and catering to clients with a presence in the broader Asian market. Donald Chia will assume the role of chief representative for the office, as reported by an anonymous source.\n\nThe bank gained approval from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to establish the representative office in April, a move that the institution highlighted in a LinkedIn post as part of its strategy to expand globally. Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po emphasized the city's increasing role as a long-term capital \"landing point\" and a platform for Asia-Pacific business expansion in a blog post from the same weekend.\n\nSohar International, formerly known as Bank Sohar and rebranded in 2018, was established in 2007. Its 2023 merger with HSBC Bank Oman solidified its position as Oman's second-largest bank, with the institution operating 74 domestic branches. Sohar International has expanded into Saudi Arabia, offering retail, corporate, Islamic, and investment banking services, while prioritizing digital transformation and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives. According to HKMA data, five Middle Eastern banks currently hold a presence in Hong Kong, accounting for around 200 registered institutions in the city.",
  "summary": "Sohar International Bank, Oman’s second-largest bank by total assets, will open a local representative office in Hong Kong this week, according to sources, underlining the city’s role as a stable financial hub amid Middle East conflicts. CEO Abdulwahid Mohamed Al Murshidi will visit Hong Kong for the office’s opening ceremony on Thursday morning, according to a source, who requested anonymity as…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Oman’s No 2 bank Sohar International to open representative office in Hong Kong this week",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/omans-no-2-bank-sohar-international-to-open-representative-office-in",
        "published": "2026-09-09T02:00:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}