Julius Baer said it hired nine private bankers from rival Barclays on its home turf. The Swiss bank is bulking up in Britain and Ireland, including by opening new offices in Manchester, Leeds and Scotland.

The Swiss private bank has poached nine private bankers from London-based Barclays, Julius Baer said on Tuesday. The move is the most assertive push in Britain since David Durlacher was named head of the Swiss bank's business in the U.K. last year.

Durlacher will open new Julius Baer offices in Leeds and Manchester this year. Next year, an office in an undisclosed Scottish city is planned as a gateway to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Among the Julius Baer hires is Martin Cuthbert, regional Barclays private banking head, as the Swiss banks team head in the North East and Gordon Scott, a Barclays regional head who will be based in Scotland as  head of the North West, Scottish and Northern Ireland teams. 

Ultra-Rich Banker

The Swiss bank also snagged James Bailey, an ultra-high net worth private banker specialized in the North West of Britain. Bailey joins Julius Baer as the senior relationship manager in Manchester.

The other Barclays hires are Glenn Branney, Jonathan Dobbin, Mark Embley, Charlie Hague, Andrew Miller and Simon Patterson. In addition, Julius Baer will move London-based private bankers – Jonathan Holland and Robert Websdale – to Manchester to help open the office.