Dr. Nasser Saidi appointed Chief Economist at DIFC

Dr. Saidi is a former Minister of Economy and Trade and Minister of Industry of Lebanon (1998-2000), and former First Vice-Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon (1993-2003). He is a Member of the UN Committee for Development Policy and has had a distinguished career as an economist having served as economic adviser and director for various government organizations, central banks and financial institutions in the Arab countries, Europe and Central and Latin America. Dr. Saidi also pursued a career as an academic, as a professor of economics at the Department of Economics of the University of Chicago, the Institut Universitaire de Hautes Etudes Internationales (Geneva), and the Université de Genève, and AUB. He has a recent book, "Corporate Governance in the MENA countries: Improving Transparency & Disclosure", and has published widely on macroeconomic, capital market development and international economic issues the region. His research interests include macroeconomics, financial market development, payment systems and international economic policy, and ICT; he actively promotes e-Government initiatives in the MENA region

Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, Director General of Dubai International Financial Centre Authority, commenting on the appointment, said:

"We welcome Dr Saidi to the DIFC. He has been a policy maker with a proven-track record as an economist and look forward to his contribution towards the development of the centre. The DIFC has established itself as the first truly international financial centre of the region and we now look forward to growing this position."

Dr Saidi commented: "I am delighted to join Dr. Omar Bin Sulaiman and his outstanding team at the DIFC, contributing to building an institution which has set a world standard for the financial sector in the region. I share the vision and its strategic importance for the countries of our region. The DIFC with its quality infrastructure, international regulatory and supervisory framework and efficient trading platforms is providing an integrated, seamless financial market structure which is very attractive to international players and will prove a strategic development for the economies of our region and internationally."

Saidi is co-chair with the OECD of the MENA Corporate Governance Forum and is the Executive Director of Hawkamah, the Institute for Corporate Governance, whose mission is to assist the countries and companies of the region in developing and implementing sound and globally well integrated Corporate Governance frameworks.

As Chief Economist, Dr Saidi will advise the DIFC on strategic economic issues facing the region and its financial markets and actively contribute to the creation of the future vision and strategy for the DIFC and the development of its market infrastructure and financial markets in order to serve the economic and financial development of the region. His responsibilities also include maintaining and developing national, regional and international strategic relationships with institutions such as the IMF, WB, IFC, BIS, OECD, AMF and other international financial institutions.