Although there has been considerable international focus on Qatar’s project finance boom, local banks are concentrating on an unprecedented retail boom, write Paul Melly and Eleanor Gillespie.

David Lipkin reviews Stanley Fischer’s turbulent first year as governor of the Bank of Israel, and asks him about the future of the bank and the economy.

Turning developments in the region and even Panama’s own political crises to good advantage, Banistmo won The Banker’s Bank of the Year award, having retained its position as Panama’s leading private bank over the past two decades. It has also grown into central America’s biggest private banking group.

Despite being blacklisted by the world’s major regulatory bodies in 2000, Panama’s banks never stopped growing. Jane Monahan reports from Panama City.

For the first time ever, The Banker publishes a Top 100 banks in China listing, demonstrating the country’s growing financial sophistication.

The Georgian banking sector is growing and there is healthy competition. Bank of Georgia CEO Lado Gurgenidze is looking at what lies ahead for banks in the Caucasus. James Hydzik reports.

Massive overseas expansion by once-local firms has led to humming activity in Spain’s capital markets arena. Jules Stewart explains.

Spanish banks are showing inventiveness and agility in their domestic and international markets. Karina Robinson reports from Madrid.

Jaime Caruana, governor of the Bank of Spain, talks to The Banker about the Spanish economy. These are edited excerpts from the interview.

Spain’s government seems more focused on social policy and political pandering than on the tough reforms that are needed to keep the economy flourishing. Karina Robinson reports from Madrid.