Governance

Italy's Bini Smaghi to join ECB board

Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, 48, the head of the Italian Finance Ministry's international department looks set to replace a fellow Italian on the board of the European Central Bank after a unanimous decision on Thursday 17 February.

Profile of T&T's new deputy governor

Joan John became deputy governor, Operations, at the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago for a period of five years starting 1 February. She recently led the implementation of the Real Time Gross Settlement System and the Government Securities Settlement…

T&T promotes second woman to senior position

The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago announced on Wednesday 16 February the appointment of the second woman in two weeks to a leadership position. Wendy Ho Sing assumed her new posting as Deputy Inspector of Financial Institutions.

First Vice President of EBRD resigns

The First Vice President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Norin Doyle, announced on Thursday 17 February that she will not seek a second term when her current mandate expires in August.

Greenspan the economic detective

Receiving his honorary degree in Edinburgh on Monday 7 February, Alan Greenspan said that as an economic detective he has long found inspiration in the wisdom of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.

ECB board selection process is too restrictive

In a letter published this week, Prof Francesco Giavazzi and Prof Charles Wyplosz said the selection process for ECB board members is seriously inadequate. According to them, members should be chosen solely on their own merits, irrespective of the…

Letters reveal 'low point' for Sir Eddie

Letters released this week by the UK Treasury showed that Gordon Brown's decision to remove responsibility for banking supervision from the Bank of England almost prompted Sir Edward George, the Bank's governor to resign.

BoE cancels 2005 governors' symposium

The Bank of England has cancelled its 2005 governors' symposium due to the UK's overcrowded international schedule. Mario Blejer, head of the Bank's centre for Central Banking Studies, wrote to central bank governors recently to tell them the news.

Czech president appoints new CNB board members

The President of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus, at Prague Castle on Friday 11 February appointed three new members to the Bank Board of the Czech National Bank. He also said Zdenik Tma will remain CNB Governor for a further six-year term.

Interview with Bank of Canada's Tiff Macklem

In an interview published this week, Bank of Canada Deputy Governor Tiff Macklem said Canada's economy may take two or three years to adjust to a currency that rose more than 20 per cent since early 2003 and "there is probably some more adjustment to go".

Malawi names new central bank governor

President Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi has decided against renewing the contract of central bank governor Elias Ngalande, which expires at the end of this month, a government official said on Tuesday 1 February. Ngalande will be succeed by Victor Mbewe.

Nepal Rastra Bank appoints new governor

After a protracted dispute among the ruling parties, a cabinet meeting on Monday 31 January finally decided to appoint deputy governor Bijaya Nath Bhattarai as the new governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank.

The Greenspan succession

In an article published this week Paul Krugman says the Bush administration will have a hard time finding a successor to Alan Greenspan, who is expected to retire next year. Feldstein and Hubbard are mentioned, but Krugman warns that appointing a "yes…

Interview with San Francisco Fed's Janet Yellen

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco president Janet Yellen gave an interview this week in which she expressed optimism about the US economy. The world economy looks on track for moderate growth and China has been trying to moderate its growth with the…

Interview with Trinidad & Tobago's deputy governor

Amoy Chang Fong, deputy governor of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, is due to retire at the end of January after 36 years at the bank. In an interview published this week she said the position of the central bank "at the heart of the economy"…

Interview with ECB's Gonzalez-Paramo

In an interview published on Thursday 27 January, ECB Executive Board member Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo describes working at the ECB as the pinnacle of a career devoted largely to central banking, after a decade spent working within the governing bodies…