Middle East - The Banker

Sheikh Hamad Al-Sayari (right) receives his award as Central Banker of the Year – Middle East in Riyadh from The Banker's editor-in-chief, Stephen Timewell

Challenges lined up

Sheikh Hamad Al-Sayari, governor of the Saudi Arabia Monetary Agency, talks to Stephen Timewell about banking challenges, rising inflation, and planned currency union with the GCC states.

• Read More Saudi Arabia: New Phase of Sustained High Growth

Iran dominates in the world of sharia compliance

The Top 25 country ranking of the Top 500 Islamic institutions clearly demonstrates that Iran, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia are by far the three largest countries providing Islamic finance, with Iran’s total amounting to $154.6bn of sharia-compliant assets (SCAs) accounting for 30.9% of the global aggregate total of $500.5bn.

• Read More Top 500 Islamic Financial Institutions

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• Read More GCC Banks: Continued Expansion

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• Read More Saudi's Booming Economy

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• Read More GCC Economies are booming

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• Read More Brunei's economic evolution

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• Read More Kuwait: New Platform for Growth

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• Read More GCC: Ever Upwards

Can deep pockets protect the UAE?

The United Arab Emirates began to feel the chill winds of global recession late last year. However, the Emirates' immense accumulated wealth, especially that of Abu Dhabi, is likely to protect the economy in general, and the financial system in particular, from the worst effects. Writer Michael Imeson

• Read More United Arab Emirates

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• Read More DIFX: Dubai International Financial Exchange

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• Read More Iran: Window of Opportunity