Central Banker of the Year/ Middle East: Riad Salameh, Governor, Banque du Liban

While most of the world’s banks are suffering from the devastation caused by the global credit crunch, the 66 banks in Lebanon, a country heavily scarred by the 1975-90 civil war, high national debt, chronic budget deficits and wars with Israel, expect their aggregate balance sheet to grow by 12% in 2008 along with a 10% growth in profits.