Veteran banker Neel Laungani joins Barclays as APAC Head of Financial Sponsors to strengthen Investment Banking franchise

Veteran banker Neel Laungani joins Barclays as APAC Head of Financial Sponsors to strengthen Investment Banking franchise

(IN BRIEF) Barclays has appointed veteran banker Neel Laungani as Head of Financial Sponsors for Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong. Reporting to Avinash Thakur and Christian Oberle, he will lead sponsor coverage, transaction origination, and execution, while collaborating with Barclays’ global teams to connect regional clients to international opportunities. Neel brings 29 years of investment banking expertise, with senior leadership experience at Lehman Brothers, Credit Suisse, Standard Chartered, and Deutsche Bank, and a track record in financial sponsors and TMT. The appointment reflects Barclays’ strategy to accelerate Investment Banking growth in APAC, enhance Advisory and ECM services for sponsor clients, and reinforce its position as a top global financial sponsors franchise.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 18-Sep-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Barclays has appointed Neel Laungani as Head of Financial Sponsors for Asia Pacific, further strengthening its Investment Banking franchise in the region. Based in Hong Kong, Neel will oversee the bank’s financial sponsors business, focusing on transaction origination, execution, and strategic client coverage. He will work closely with Barclays’ global teams to support sponsor clients in identifying opportunities across regions, leveraging the bank’s broad product platform and international reach.

In his new role, Neel will report regionally to Avinash Thakur, Head of Investment Banking, Asia Pacific, and functionally to Christian Oberle, Global Head of Financial Sponsors. His appointment underscores Barclays’ ongoing growth strategy and ambition to expand its influence in key financial centres across APAC.

Welcoming Neel to the bank, Avinash Thakur commented: “We are delighted to bring Neel on board. His appointment reflects our commitment to investing in high-calibre talent and growing our Investment Banking franchise. Barclays is consistently ranked among the top five global financial sponsors franchises, with sector expertise and international scale that differentiate us in the market. Neel’s leadership will be pivotal in expanding our Advisory and ECM capabilities with sponsor clients, a key strategic priority.”

Neel joins Barclays with nearly three decades of investment banking experience, specializing in financial sponsors and the Technology, Media and Telecom (TMT) sectors. He began his career at Lehman Brothers, spending over 14 years there and becoming Managing Director and Head of TMT in Asia Pacific. He went on to hold senior leadership positions at Credit Suisse, Standard Chartered, and Deutsche Bank. Most recently, he served as Managing Director and Head of Financial Sponsors Coverage for APAC at Credit Suisse, while also acting as Vice-Chairman of TMT Coverage in the region.

The appointment follows a series of strategic leadership hires at Barclays in Asia Pacific in 2024 and 2025, reinforcing the bank’s focus on talent and growth across its Investment Banking and Markets businesses. With over 50 years in the region, Barclays continues to strengthen its role in connecting APAC clients with global capital markets, underlining its long-term commitment to the region.

About Barclays

Our vision is to be the UK-centred leader in global finance.  We are a diversified bank with comprehensive UK consumer, corporate and wealth and private banking franchises, a leading investment bank and a strong, specialist US consumer bank.  Through these five divisions, we are working together for a better financial future for our customers, clients and communities.

About Barclays in Asia Pacific

Barclays has been present in Asia Pacific (APAC) for over 50 years, supporting corporations and financial institutions across key markets including Australia, Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, Mainland China, Singapore, and Taiwan. The bank caters to its clients’ cross-border Investment Bank needs and connects them to the capital markets in the UK, Europe, Americas, and APAC. Barclays also has a growing Private Bank business in APAC, with operations in both India and Singapore. The Barclays Global Service Centre (BGSC), a global capability centre located across multiple cities in India, supports the bank’s businesses worldwide, delivering innovative end-to-end business solutions across Technology, Operations and Functions. Barclays in APAC is headed by Jaideep Khanna, who also leads the bank’s Global Markets business in the region. Its regional Investment Banking business is led by Avinash Thakur and Praveen Kumar leads BGSC.

Recent key hires and development at Barclays in Asia Pacific

• Jul 2025: Barclays appoints Joseph Lee as Head of High Touch Sales Trading, Asia Pacific
• Jul 2025: Barclays announces key leadership appointments in Asia Pacific Investment Banking
• Mar 2025: Barclays Bank invests in India’s growth with a capital injection of over INR 2,300 crore (£210m)
• Feb 2025: Barclays strengthens Corporate Bank offerings in Asia Pacific and the Middle East with two senior appointments
• Jan 2025: Barclays appoints Yoichi Takemura as Head of Japan Macro Trading
• Jan 2025: Barclays appoints Paul Johnson as Head of Equities, Asia Pacific
• Dec 2024: Barclays Bank PLC and the Barclays Private Bank relocate to Raheja Altimus, Worli in Mumbai
• Nov 2024: Barclays to establish new Private Banking booking centre in Singapore
• Jan 2024: Barclays appoints Abhay Kumar Sinha as Co-Head of Credit Trading, Asia Pacific
• Jan 2024: Barclays appoints Naohiko Baba as Chief Japan Economist and Head of Japan Research
• Oct 2023: Barclays appoints Denise Wong as Head of Sustainable and Impact Banking, Asia Pacific

Media Contact:

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Email: ukpressoffice@barclays.com

SOURCE: Barclays