DBS Group, which reported third-quarter figures late last week, has become the latest bank to have reportedly expressed an interest in buying the international part of Coutts, the private bank being offloaded by UK state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland.

DBS Group, which reported third-quarter figures late last week, has become the latest bank to have reportedly expressed an interest in buying the international part of Coutts, the private bank being offloaded by UK state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland.

Piyush Gupta, chief executive, was quoted as saying by The Business Times: "We will take a look at Coutts when it comes on the block."

As reported previously, Goldman Sachs has been appointed to handle the sale. Gupta was quoted saying that he "understands it'll go to market by the end of the year".

If the bank does bid for the Coutts International business in Asia, it will follow its acquisition in March this year – recently completed – of the Asia private bank of Societe Generale. Gupta was quoted as saying that the integration of that operation was very smooth.

Other banks that have expressed interest in buying parts of RBS’s international private banking operations have included Banque SYZ and fellow Swiss bank Julius Baer.