1878

Habib Esmail, the visionary who laid the foundation of what would later become Habib Bank AG Zurich, was born in Bombay, British India.

1891​

At the age of 13, Habib Esmail joined his uncle’s business, Khoja Mithabani Nathoo. Hard work and leadership qualities led him to become the President of the Copper and Brass Merchants Association.

1904

Mahomedali Habib, the third son of Habib Esmail, was born in Bombay.

1912​

Habib Esmail expanded his business to Europe by opening offices in Genoa and Vienna. He also established trade relationships with Japan and China.

1921​

Habib Esmail established Habib & Sons Ltd with his sons, with merchant banking and trade finance as its core operations.

1941

Habib Bank Limited was founded as a public limited company in Bombay, India. It rapidly expanded across major cities in the Subcontinent, becoming the Habib family’s flagship bank.

1947

Following Partition, Habib Bank Limited shifted its head office to Karachi, Pakistan. It played an instrumental role in establishing the country’s banking infrastructure.

1952

Habib Bank (Overseas) Limited was born with its first international branch in Mombasa, Kenya. This was followed by other branches in key trading centres, cementing the Bank’s global presence.

1967

Habib Bank AG Zurich (HBZ) was incorporated in Zurich, Switzerland, as an independent bank affiliated with Habib Bank (Overseas) Limited. Hyder Habib, son of Mohamedali Habib, spearheaded its operations.

1974

Habib Bank AG Zurich expanded its international footprint by establishing branches in the UAE and UK.

1978

Habib Bank AG Zurich began its operations in Kenya while strengthening its presence in the UAE and UK by opening additional branches.

1979

Habib Bank AG Zurich Finance Limited was incorporated in Hong Kong as a deposit-taking company (DTC), marking its foray into the Asian market.

1982

Habib Bank AG Zurich relocated its head office to 21 Bergstrasse, Zurich, marking a new chapter in its commitment to growth, innovation, and exceptional service.

1989

Habib Bank AG Zurich opened a branch in Pakistan to strengthen its commitment to serving the local market and fostering economic growth.

1993

Habib Bank AG Zurich launched hPLUS, a cutting-edge solution that revolutionized the Bank’s technology and operational systems, setting new industry benchmarks.

1994

Habib Bank AG Zurich moved to its present headquarters at 59 Weinberg Strasse, Zurich, reflecting its ongoing growth and success.

1995

Habib Bank AG Zurich made the first major investment in South Africa by a Swiss banking group.

2000

Habib Bank AG Zurich launched its digital banking platform, showcasing innovation and customer focus. It gained global recognition, ranking in the top 1000 banks and receiving high marks for performance and soundness.

2001

Habib Canadian Bank (HCB) was founded as a subsidiary of Habib Bank AG Zurich, establishing the Bank’s presence in North America.

Habib Bank AG Zurich became the first bank in the Middle East to offer WAP-based banking services.

2004

To meet the growing demand for Sharia-compliant financial services, Habib Bank AG Zurich launched its Islamic Banking services.

2005

Habib Bank AG Zurich won the prestigious ComputerWorld Award in recognition of its advanced banking systems.

HBZ launched HBZtrade, the region’s first online securities trading platform for the US capital markets.

2006

Habib Bank AG Zurich’s Pakistan operations merged with Metropolitan Bank to form Habib Metropolitan Bank (HABIBMETRO).

2012

The year marked a hundred years of international business for the Habib Family & Group.

2013

Habib Bank AG Zurich relocated its UAE Zonal Office and SZR branch to a modern premises at Umm Al Sheif, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE.

2014

The Group launched ‘Sirat’, its Islamic Banking brand, on 14th July, in Pakistan.

2015

Habib Bank AG Zurich Finance Limited was renamed as Habib Bank Zurich (Hong Kong) Limited.

2017

Habib Bank AG Zurich enhanced its offerings in the UAE by introducing ‘Sirat’ Islamic Banking. HBZ UAE also launched its mobile banking application for seamless on-the-go banking.

Habib Bank AG Zurich celebrated 50th anniversary of its global banking operations, marking half a century of excellence and innovation in serving customers worldwide.

2020

Habib Bank AG Zurich’s representative office in Shanghai commenced operations.

2021

The year marked 100 years of banking for the Habib Group.

2022

Habib Bank AG Zurich opened a branch in Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC), further strengthening its presence in one of the leading financial hubs of the world.

2023

Habib Bank AG Zurich established a representative office in Türkiye.

2024

Habib Bank AG Zurich celebrates the 50th Anniversary of its banking operations in the UAE and UK.

Habib Bank AG Zurich and HABIBMETRO Bank celebrate the 10th Anniversary of ‘Sirat’ in Pakistan.