Jan Cienski reports from Warsaw on the adrenaline-fuelled journey from commercial diver to billionaire banking mogul of Getin Holding founder Leszek Czarnecki.

As long as rich people want small banks that can offer a personalised service, institutions like Hoare & Co will thrive. CEO Alexander Hoare talks to The Banker.

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is determined to get his country into the EU despite nay-sayers on all sides. He talks to Karina Robinson.

This may be the year that the US pendulum swings away from excessive regulation towards balanced principles.

Despite China opening up banking to foreigners, incomers will face difficult challenges to make an impact on such a gargantuan market.

European financial efficiency is being held back by faint-hearted national authorities.

Consolidation of central and eastern Europe’s small stock exchanges is unlikely to take place soon, writes Erich Obersteiner.

Lehman has established a centre to find out why women are so poorly represented in the banking industry.

Rivals to Europe’s stock exchanges have grabbed headlines but pundits question whether they will make the markets more efficient.

The Hong Kong government is taking active steps to improve co-ordination of the development of its financial infrastructure with that of mainland China, writes Sir David Li.