With an emphasis on customer-centric services and products, Indonesia’s microfinance sector is proving to be extremely lucrative, not only for the banks involved, but also for the country’s large population and growing economy.

Growing public debt, falling GDP rates and rising unemployment are casting a shadow over the Caribbean region. Banks are responding by raising capital and many are still delivering good returns.

Tanzania's recent discovery of huge natural gas fields has put it firmly in the sight of foreign investors. But Benno Ndulu, its central bank governor, warns that the east African country should not become reliant on hydrocarbons. Instead, it should use them to diversify its economy.

While The Banker's Top 1000 World Banks ranking published every July gives an insightful and unique snapshot of the state of the global banking market, our ranking of those banks featuring just below the ranking gives an excellent indication of the way in which the market is heading, and which countries and regions are on the rise.

After leading Morgan Stanley’s equities business outside the Americas, John Hyman is working to position Renaissance Capital as a focused player in a number of very different markets across emerging Europe and Africa.

A diversified payment rights securitisation for ZAO Raiffeisenbank reopened this important source of funding in Russia for the first time since the financial crisis, but joint lead manager WestLB will not be around to manage follow-up deals.

Despite a recent surge in inflation and exchange rate volatility, the prospects for Tanzanian banks are bright. With the country growing fast, banks are looking to exploit its large unbanked population and start offering more sophisticated products.

The abrupt departure of the Croatian National Bank governor laid bare tensions over conditions in the country’s financial sector, but his successor looks set to bring continuity rather than change.

A stagnant home market and declining prospects in western Europe have encouraged Swiss wealth managers to expand in emerging markets. But the strategy for success is not always straightforward, and now a number of regional players have come to the fore looking to challenge Swiss dominance in this field.