Instead of asking tough questions about the macroeconomy and shareholder pressure, people are blaming bankers for the credit crisis.

Latin America must make careful investment decisions to avoid wasting reserve accumulations on misguided projects, warns Enrique García.

The EU needs to step up co-operation on financial supervision? That is what is required to prevent crises and maintain the soundness of financial institutions and markets, says Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa.

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.

Peter Wise and Brian Caplen talk to chief executive Ricardo Espírito Santo Salgado about Banco Espírito Santo’s plans to expand further its well-established banking network in Portuguese-speaking countries.

BBVA is in an enviable position for 2008, having had no involvement with subprime assets. Jules Stewart talks to president and COO José Ignacio Goirigolzarri.

Despite its write-downs last year and Allianz splitting Dresdner Kleinwort off from rest of the group, Dresdner Bank’s senior executives still see opportunities to progress on the international stage. Philip Alexander reports.

Some banks are making efforts to engage with people through virtual worlds and social networks on the internet but their knowledge of this area is still limited – and being excluded by corporate firewalls does not help, writes Chris Skinner.

The credit crisis has brought the ABS market to near standstill. However, RBS has remained active in the field and used its healthy relationship with VW to good effect, reports Edward Russell-Walling.

Could Google revolutionise the world of online banking? Its involvement as a platform is looking increasingly likely.