HSBC in Egypt

Our services

HSBC Bank Egypt was established in 1982 as the Hong Kong Egyptian Bank. The bank was rebranded HSBC Bank Egypt in April 2001 after an increase in the HSBC Group’s shareholding from 40 per cent to more than 90 per cent of its issued share capital.

HSBC Bank Egypt is one of the largest multinational banks in Egypt, providing a comprehensive range of banking and financial services supporting the growth ambitions of its customers from governments and multinationals to international corporates, family conglomerates, entrepreneurs, and individuals.

HSBC Egypt serves its personal and business banking customers through a full range of services including: Wealth and Personal Banking, Commercial Banking and Global Banking & Markets.

HSBC also exists in Egypt through HSBC Electronic Data Service Delivery which is one of the Global Service Centres. The centre was established in 2010 and now supports HSBC customers and businesses across more than 40 different countries and territories.

Our headquarters

306, Corniche El Nil Street
Maadi
Cairo, Egypt

Our CEO

Todd Wilcox, HSBC Egypt Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Our history in the Middle East

Origins

HSBC’s presence in the Middle East dates back to 1889 when the bank was known as The Imperial Bank of Persia. The bank changed its name to The Imperial Bank of Iran in 1935; The British Bank of Iran and the Middle East in 1949 and subsequently The British Bank of the Middle East in 1952 when operations in Iran were wound up. The HongKong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited acquired The British Bank of the Middle East in 1959.

Diversification

The 1940s was a period of great change with the decline of operations in Iran (which closed in 1952) and expansion into the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant.

The bank was a leader in financial services in the states that are now referred to as the Gulf Cooperation Council, opening branches in Kuwait (1942), Bahrain (1944), the area now known as the UAE (1946), Oman (Muscat 1948) and Saudi Arabia (Al Khobar and Jeddah 1950).

Branches were also opened in the cities of the Fertile Crescent: Beirut (1946), Damascus (1947), Tripoli (1948), Amman (1949) and Aleppo (1951).

Regional expansion

By 1959, when the bank was acquired by the Group, it had added more offices in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Libya, Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco and UAE.

During the 1960s and 1970s the bank left Syria, Iraq, South Yemen and Libya after nationalisation of the banking sectors.

In 1978, the bank’s business in Saudi Arabia was transferred to a new bank, the Saudi British Bank, where the Group took a 40 per cent share. The Group also took a 40 per cent share in the Hong Kong Egyptian Bank S.A.E, which was established in 1982.

Modern structure

In 1994, the bank's head office was transferred to Jersey and in 1999 it was renamed HSBC Bank Middle East (HBME). In 2001 the Group’s shareholding in Egypt increased to 94.5 per cent. In June 2016 the bank confirmed that it had transferred its place of incorporation and head office from Jersey to the Dubai International Financial Centre. As a result of the transfer, HBME is now lead-regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, but remains locally regulated in each of the countries in which it operates by the country’s Central Bank and its other regulators.

Making a difference

See how our landmark green bond is being used for vital infrastructure in Egypt.

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Our purpose – Opening up a world of opportunity – explains why we exist. We’re here to use our unique expertise, capabilities, breadth and perspectives to open up new kinds of opportunity for our customers. We’re bringing together the people, ideas and capital that nurture progress and growth, helping to create a better world – for our customers, our people, our investors, our communities and the planet we all share.

Listed on the London, Hong Kong, New York and Bermuda stock exchanges, shares in HSBC Holdings plc are held by around 175,000 shareholders in 127 countries and territories.

Read more about HSBC on our corporate website

Financial and ESG reports

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Environment Social and Governance (ESG) English PDF 13.82 MB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E Annual Report and Accounts 2023 English PDF 1.11 MB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E Annual Report and Accounts 2022 English PDF 8.33 MB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2021 English PDF 7.69 MB

Bank Egypt S.A.E. First Quarter Accounts 2021 - English English PDF 622.58 KB

Bank Egypt S.A.E. First Quarter Accounts 2021 - Arabic Arabic PDF 1.75 MB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2020 English PDF 941.06 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2019 English PDF 1.42 MB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2018 English PDF 1.21 MB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2017 English PDF 1.28 MB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2016 English PDF 1.07 MB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2015 English PDF 508.09 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2015 Arabic PDF 1.07 MB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2014 English PDF 642.00 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2014 Arabic PDF 958.99 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2013 English PDF 642.61 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2013 Arabic PDF 561.95 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2012 English PDF 853.82 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2012 Arabic PDF 898.53 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2011 English PDF 681.38 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2010 English PDF 329.10 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2010 Arabic PDF 326.53 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2009 English PDF 171.93 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2009 Arabic PDF 254.44 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2008 English PDF 213.99 KB

HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E. Annual Report and Accounts 2008 Arabic PDF 212.13 KB

For details about HSBC’s global operations, Group board members and financial results, go to our corporate website

HSBC Group history timeline

1865

2024

Hong Kong harbour, Chinese artist, early 1860s

Staff in Fuzhou, China, 1887

Portrait of Thomas Jackson, around 1890

Chinese railway bond certificate, 1907

Staff in military uniform, First World War

Hong Kong building, 1965

Prison camp diary of HSBC staff member Max Haymes, 1943

Hong Kong garment factory, around 1950

Persian banknote, early 20th century

UK cash machine, around 1970

HSBC office, New York, 1999

HSBC lion, London, present day

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The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited opened in Hong Kong on 3 March 1865 and in Shanghai one month later. It was the first locally owned bank to operate according to Scottish banking principles.

By 1875 HSBC was present in seven countries across Asia, Europe and North America. It financed the export of tea and silk from China, cotton and jute from India, sugar from the Philippines and rice and silk from Vietnam.

By 1900, after strong growth under Chief Manager Thomas Jackson, the bank had expanded into 16 countries and was financing trade across the world. Bullion, exchange and merchant banking were important features of the bank’s business.

In the early 20th century, HSBC widened the scope of its activities in Asia. It issued loans to national governments to finance modernisation and infrastructure projects such as railway building.

The First World War brought disruption and dislocation to many businesses. By the 1920s, however, Asia was beginning to prosper again as new industries developed and trade in commodities such as rubber and tin soared.

The 1930s brought recession and turmoil to many markets. Nonetheless, HSBC asked architects Palmer and Turner to design a new head office in Hong Kong: “Please build us the best bank in the world.” The cutting-edge art deco building opened in 1935.

The bank faced one of its most challenging times during the Second World War. Staff in Asia showed huge courage in the face of adversity. Many became prisoners of war. Only the London, Indian and US branches remained in full operation.

At the end of the war, HSBC took on a key role in the reconstruction of the Hong Kong economy. Its support helped established manufacturers as well as newcomers to Hong Kong grow their business.

By the 1970s the bank had expanded through acquisition. HSBC bought Mercantile Bank and The British Bank of the Middle East in 1959. In 1972 it formed a merchant banking arm, extending its range of services.

In the 1980s HSBC bought Marine Midland Bank in the US. In 1992, the newly created HSBC Holdings plc made a recommended offer for full ownership of the UK’s Midland Bank. Following the acquisition, HSBC moved its headquarters to London.

In 1998, the bank announced it would adopt a unified brand, using HSBC and the hexagon symbol everywhere it operated.

Our purpose – Opening up a world of opportunity – explains why we exist. We’re here to use our unique expertise, capabilities, breadth and perspectives, opening up a world of opportunity for our customers.

HSBC in Egypt

Our services

Our headquarters

Our CEO