Barry O’Byrne, chief executive of HSBC’s International Wealth and Premier Banking unit, defended the move as part of a broader realignment of the bank’s priorities HSBC’s Swiss private banking division has embarked on a sweeping disengagement from more than a thousand wealthy Middle Eastern clients, following mounting pressure from regulators over its handling of high-risk accounts. The move signals one of the most significant shifts in the bank’s private wealth strategy in recent years, as it attempts to safeguard its reputation while navigating heightened scrutiny from financial watchdogs. The London-based lender is terminating its relationships with customers from countries including