Catherine McDowell

The latest offering to hit the Gulf is Barclays new 'relationship management service' aimed at clients able to place more than USD150,000 with the bank. For expatriates unhappy with the advice handed out by the less scrupulous financial services advisers, and who want to build a relationship with a bank that will literally follow them around the world, this could be the answer to their requirements.

Moreover, no other UK high street bank can offer the depth of Internet banking experience that Barclays can provide. Indeed, most of them are struggling to catch up on Barclays' two-year lead in this market. But will the new service really provide anything new?

'Relationship manager combine a knowledge of international citizens' lifestyles and financial priorities with Barclays' global resources to offer a truly personalised service,' says Catherine McDowell, a director a Barclays International Premier Banking who visited Dubai for the launch of the service.

'For the first time a Barclays International Premier client based in the Gulf will be able to do their banking through a dedicated telephone service, carry out multi-currency banking on the Internet and access relationship managers who provide a full financial planning service. That relationship manager might be in Dubai or Jersey, but they will stay with the client wherever they move to'.

Barclays has its own range of mutual funds - which invest in bonds and currencies as well as equities - and is trying to provide an all-round financial solution for its clients.

'Together with a selection of lifestyle benefits, including a property management service, emergency assistance services, world-wide hotel discounts and guides to countries around the world, this will be a leading market service,' predicts Ms McDowell. 'Our international payments system on the Internet also allows transfers of up to USD30,000 which is very convenient for global clients who can do all their banking 24 hours-a-day wherever they happen to be in the world'.

This means that international borders are easily breached, and in countries such as Saudi Arabia where foreign banks are not allowed, any one can still hold an account with this new service from Barclays.

'We think an increasingly mobile expatriate community needs a bank that will move around the world, and one that does its best to address all its different financial requirements,' says Ms McDowell. 'Of course, many other international banks also have solutions, but parts of our service are unique and the package certainly is'.