Abbey's CEO tells how his decision to pull the bank back from the mortgage market and transform it into a full commercial bank has helped it to thrive during the fallout of the crisis.

Chile's prudent fiscal policies have enabled it to weather the global recession well. The county's finance minister explains the thinking behind them. Writer Jason Mitchell

Nowhere was hit as hard by the credit crisis as Iceland, but as the country rebuilds its economy and banking sector, it is determined to learn from this harshest of lessons.

Sir Winfried Bischoff, chairman of Lloyds Banking Group

The UK is positioned to play a key role in assisting the development of new and emerging financial centres.

The Thai finance minister's belief that the global crisis has presented the country with an opportunity to reshape its economy has seen him unleash plans for greater use of the capital markets, diversified exports and a boost in domestic consumption. Writer Brian Caplen

Pravin Gordhan, South Africa's minister of finance

South Africa's finance minister talks about the steps taken to steer his country towards economic recovery.

Kofi Annan, chair of the Africa Progress Panel and former secretary-general of the UN

Without support from the international community, the economic crisis will cause Africa to fall further behind the developed world and plunge millions into poverty.

The recent collapse in the price of oil accentuated the critical need for Angola to diversify its oil-dependent economy. Despite the fall in growth, however, the country has weathered the storm and must now focus on public sector reform. Writer Charlie Corbett