Ionian Bank

After losing its branches in Egypt to nationalization in 1956, the British parent entity sold its operations outside the United Kingdom.

[3] In 1883, the Ionian Bank gave up its royal charter and registered as a limited liability company.

During World War I, the Ionian Bank served Allied military interests in the Balkans, opening branches at Salonica, Syros, Chios and Mytilene.

In 1916, it inaugurated its prominent new head office building designed by architect Anastasios Metaxas on Pesmazoglou Street in Athens.

Two years later, it acquired the Constantinople branch of Guaranty Trust Co. of New York,[3] and possibly a sub-branch or agency in Smyrna.

[citation needed] In 1924, it continued its international expansion by opening a representative office in New York.

In 1926, the Ionian Bank expanded to Cyprus by establishing a branch in Nicosia, followed in 1927 by agencies in Famagusta, Limassol, and Larnaca.

[8]: 20  The Ionian Bank had provided cover for British Intelligence, and two of its directors, Bickham Sweet-Escott and Robin Brook, had belonged to MI6.

In Alexandria, its main branch at 41 Saad Zaghloul Street (corner of Adib Bek Ashak Street) went to the Alexandria Commercial and Maritime Bank,[12] which in 2006 was acquired by Abu Dhabi's Union National Bank.