High standards of governance will be essential to convince local investors to participate in the regional financial centres that are springing up around the world. And London looks set to benefit from business with those centres as they adopt EU-style regulations, writes Brandon Davies.

On its 25th anniversary, the Institute of International Finance is well placed to facilitate a new world order involving the sharing of responsibility for global financial stability between multinational financial services firms and governmental institutions, say Dr Josef Ackermann (left) and Charles H Dallara (right).

Pakistan is implementing a new development paradigm for the country’s banking sector with the aim of bringing the country’s poor and rural population into the system, writes Dr Shamshad Akhtar.

Héctor Valdez Albizu, governor of the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, tells Jules Stewart how controlling the money supply has led to financial stability.

The republic’s finance minister, Vicente Bengoa, talks to The Banker about economic strategy.

Leonel Fernández, president of the Dominican Republic, talks to Jules Stewart about the government’s activities to improve the lives of citizens.

Alan Duerden speaks to Mike Lazaridis on the accountability, back-up and security capabilities incorporated into the latest generation of BlackBerry smartphones targeted at the small and medium-sized office.

ICBC chairman Jiang Jianqing talks to The Banker about the Chinese market, the bank’s recent growth and its long-term strategy to become an international player.

Chalongphob Sussangkarn took over as Thailand’s minister of finance in March, following the resignation of his predecessor Pridiyathorn Devakula. A former president of independent economic think-tank the Thailand Development Research Institute, he is a key player in the interim government that was installed last year after a military coup. He spoke to Simon Montlake in Bangkok.

Colombia’s president Álvaro Uribe has a lot of support and criticism as he faces huge challenges in his second term. Karina Robinson reports.