Chloe Domat

After exponential growth over the past decade, African fintech hits a slowdown in 2023. 

Through the past year, central bankers teetered and wobbled to avoid both inflation and recession while juggling an array of internal and external risks. Global Finance grades their success and interviews a dozen about the last year—and the next.

Abdelatif Jouahri, governor of the Central Bank of Morocco, shares his thoughts regarding the strengths of the bank and the Moroccan economy.

Feras Milhem, governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority, shares the bank’s mission, unique conditions, and place in the global financial system.

Ahmed Ghaleb al-Maaqbi, governor of the Central Bank of Yemen, speaks to Global Finance about the country’s ongoing war and its impact on the economy.

Decades of economic restructuring are at stake as Morocco struggles to rebuild from a deadly earthquake.

The interim leader of Lebanon's central bank faces daunting challenges: A devaluated currency, crippled banking system, triple-digit inflation and soaring poverty.

GCC banks are expanding their footprint in Asia-Pacific, now the Gulf’s number-one trade partner.

From infrastructure and SMEs to fintech, a thriving banking sector is taking a major role in the kingdom’s economic overhaul.

The first installment of a Global Finance FAQ web series on Islamic finance.

The Middle East, especially the Gulf region, expects good times ahead.

Masroor Batin, CEO of BNP Paribas Wealth Management Middle East and Africa, speaks about changes in MENA banking and complementarity with local banks.

At the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, the UAE is home to some of the world’s wealthiest people and an increasing number of foreigners.

Joseph Abraham, CEO of Commercial Bank of Qatar, discusses the bank’s implementation of ESG principles and the effects of digital banking on the industry.

Ahmed Abdelaal, Group CEO of Mashreq Bank, speaks to Global Finance about preparations for COP28 and the possibility of a recession.

Thanks to high hydrocarbon revenues, Arab states invest in Western countries where the economy has slumped. 

The MENA region reaches a record level of IPOs.

Kuwait is enjoying high hydrocarbon prices, but the lack of reforms weighs heavily on the oil-rentier’s economic outlook.

A historically strong banking system has been conservative in its approach to tech innovation, but that’s changing.

Saudi Arabia's central bank raised key policy rates seven times in 2022 and economic growth is projected to slow this year.

Saudi Arabia went in a decade from a desert kingdom to one of the world’s most connected nations.

Complying with open banking is a requirement for all Saudi banks, and most have started adapting.

As Iran edges closer to gaining the ability to build nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia is beginning to make similar moves.

The Gulf country seeks to grow its economy beyond hydrocarbons.

The Covid-19 pandemic created some waves in the foreign exchange markets over the last couple of years, but the re-emergence of global inflation and inflation-fighting central banks has truly rocked the currency world this year.

Global Finance presents the best private banks in the Middle East.

Qatar is among the countries that will reap the greatest benefits from the global energy crisis. 

Sizable energy-crisis returns lead Qatar to diversify its investments globally.

Q&A with Saudi National Bank's Omar Yassine.

Q&A With Commercial Bank Of Qatar's Hussain Al-Abdullah.

Q&A With DBS's Ramesh Sankar.

Q&A with First National Bank's Lucille de Kock.

Regional expansion boosts profits, and positions banks for further growth. 

Morocco acts as a stepping stone between two continents.

After years of easy money, central banks are tightening up—some more quickly than others. Global Finance grades their performance in the face of the past year’s rising inflation. 

Governor Basel Al-Haroon of the Central Bank of Kuwait talks about rising oil prices and diversity within the banking sector.

Governor Saddek Elkaber of the Central Bank of Libya discusses the challenges of volatile oil revenue and rising inflation.

Hassan Abdalla's main challenge will be to contain soaring inflation and balance foreign exchange rates.

Gulf states are diversifying their economies and betting big on tech.

One of the biggest challenges for Tarek Amer’s successor will be balancing austerity and boosting citizens' purchasing power.

Ali H. Khalil, CEO of Kuwait Financial Centre “Markaz”, speaks to Global Finance about the effects of the Ukraine conflict and advancements in fintech.

As the Ukrainian conflict blows up, the GCC economies hit the jackpot.

Faisal AlHaroun is managing director of Tap Payments Kuwait and senior vice president of Tap Payments Global. He speaks to Global Finance about the evolution of fintech and its customers in the MENA region.

The GCC remains a small player in global fintech, but institutional support and capital availability encourage growth.

Saudi Arabia is looking to acquire a stake in British luxury car brand Aston Martin but such a move could damage the company's reputation.

Crown Prince Mohammed ben Zayed al Nahyan has been the de facto ruler of the petro-monarchy since the former president suffered a stroke in 2014.

Salah al-Fulaij, vice chairman of NBK Capital and CEO of NBK-Kuwait, discusses winning the high-net-worth and youth markets.

Knee-deep in a terrible financial crisis, Lebanese citizens leverage new technologies to circumvent a broken banking system. 

The Middle East is ready to unleash its potential. 

Abdulla Mubarak Al-Khalifa, Group CEO of Qatar National Bank, talks to Global Finance about the bank’s internal growth and outlook for the year.