Dubai: Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy’s biggest bank by market value, said on Sunday that it had set up new branches in Abu Dhabi and Doha as part of plans to expand its corporate and investment banking and trade finance business. The bank, which already operates a regional hub in Dubai, will focus on structured export finance services as well as oil and gas, fashion and luxury and infrastructure and transport, it said. Intesa Sanpaolo has had a presence in the Gulf since 2008 and last year was involved in a $4 billion (Dh14.7 billion) syndicated loan for Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), Oman’s top oil and gas exploration and production company.