The projected stream of initial public offerings in 2010, many on the back of private equity exits, may encounter a frosty market. Sceptical investors will demand aggressive valuations and some question whether the market is yet ready, or indeed has the capacity, for a recovery in IPO issuance. Writer Charlie Corbett

Brazil's central bank governor reflects on how the country managed to keep the worst of the financial crisis at bay and what further pitfalls lie ahead on its road to full recovery. Writer Charlie Corbett

Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister of Economy and Finance for Morocco

Morocco's minister of economy and finance spoke to The Banker about fiscal reform, his plans to invest in the country's infrastructure to further diversify its economy and his priorities for 2010. Writer Charlie Corbett

As the financial storm of the past few years begins to calm, how are banks coping with the new competitive landscape and what do they need to do to stay ahead of their rivals? And more to the point, can they afford to invest in the innovation required to do so? The Banker spoke to Dan Marovitz, head of product management for global transaction banking at Deutsche Bank. Writer Charlie Corbett

The Banker's Top 100 African Banks ranking shows Nigerian banks chipping away at the dominance of their South African counterparts, a situation that will look very different once the recent bailouts in the west African country are taken into account. Writer Charlie Corbett

Charlotte Conlan, head of leveraged finance at BNP Paribas

The secretive nature and narrow investor base of the European leveraged loan market meant it was hit harder and is taking longer to recover from the downturn than its counterpart in the US. There is a general consensus that Europe needs to open up its markets, improve transparency and introduce public ratings. Writer Charlie Corbett

The Lebanese economy's remarkable ability to withstand both political strife at home and financial crises overseas received universal acclaim. Achieving political consensus and reforming the country's archaic public finances will be the next challenge. Charlie Corbett reports from Beirut.

During the past five years, Lebanon has emerged as a prosperous investment arena for the hotels and tourism and business services sectors, writes Charlie Corbett.

Lebanon's banks are thriving and this is in no small part down to the actions of the country's much-admired central bank governor, Riad Salameh. He spoke to The Banker about how he plans to maintain the country's financial stability.