What lessons did Stan O’Neal learn from the restructuring of Merrill Lynch at the turn of the decade? What are Merrill’s plans in mortgages, private equity and asset management? And what continues to drive Merrill’s CEO forward? O’Neal reveals all to Clive Horwood in his first in-depth interview since becoming the firm’s chairman and CEO.

Daniel Bouton, chairman and CEO of Société Générale, discusses in detail his bank’s culture and strategy with Euromoney’s editor, Clive Horwood.

Argentina’s central bank president reckons that it will take at least another two or three years before his country’s economic variables normalize. Martin Redrado says that although Argentina has made progress since the 2001/02 financial crisis, more patience is needed before it can achieve sustainable growth.

Billionaire prince intends listing, scheduled for Q4 2006, to change the rules for foreign investment in the Saudi stock market. Peter Lee reports from Riyadh.

Domestic criticisms of Deutsche Bank’s international focus have not passed it by, prompting plans to develop its business at home. But as Jürgen Fitschen, who leads the initiative, tells Philip Moore, his bank does not intend to imitate rivals’ indiscriminate wooing of medium-size companies.

In December 2001, the government defaulted on $81.8 billion of debt repayments and broke the peso’s link with the dollar. When Nielsen was appointed in May 2002, the country was in the midst of one of the worst financial, social and political crises to hit any country since the Great Depression. His job, together with that of his economy minister, Roberto Lavagna, was to help restore stability and turn around Argentina’s financial fortunes.

Thai capital markets are set for a bull run. SCB's president, Khunying Jada Watthanasiritham, expains how her bank, and other local firms, can profit despite growing interest from international banks.

Citigroup wants to pioneer a new type of private banking for active wealth creators. Helen Avery speaks to the man who aims to drive the firm forward.

The Inter-American Development Bank’s new president, Luis Alberto Moreno, speaks to Sudip Roy about his plans to make the bank’s policies more relevant to the private sector in a region that is attracting growing investment inflows.

Wachovia's Ken Thompson wants his firm to be the best financial institution in the US. His ambitions extend to investment banking. As Wachovia makes its move on Wall Street, Kathryn Tully spoke to Thompson and the rest of his management team. Should the traditional bulge bracket be concerned?

The woman who has run the central bank since 2000 has overseen reform of the exchange rate, the capital markets and the banking industry. With her encouragement the country has also become a hub for Islamic finance.

In just two years, Nigeria's finance minister has helped to transform foreign perceptions of her country. Her crowning achievement was the Paris Club deal, but her reforms have much greater implications for Nigeria's economic future.

In 2002 the Dubai authorities announced the appointment of a distinguished chairman to its financial regulator that would give credibility to the country's attempts to establish itself as the leading Arab financial centre. Just two years later he was fired. Now, for the first time, Ian Hay Davison gives a first-hand account of the events that led to his dismissal. In the following linked article, the current chief executive of the DFSA gives his response

John Costas speaks to Euromoney about the achievements of UBS's investment bank during his tenure as chief executive and the legacy he leaves to his successor.

With a long history in the region, the most extensive network of any bank and a full suite of financial products, Citigroup is the biggest force in Asian banking. Yet it is still facing challenges. Chris Leahy spoke to Robert Morse, chief executive officer, corporate & investment banking, Citigroup Asia Pacific, about the bank's performance in Asia

As investment banks try to cut the cost of research for clients, outsourcing is taking on an ever-increasing and ever more important role in keeping costs under control. For the providers of these services, such as Copal Partners, the key is to move on from simply crunching the numbers to providing in-depth research for their clients on debt, equity and corporate finance.

Anvar Saidenov, the new governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, speaks to Euromoney's Nick Kochan about efforts to diversify the economy, control the inflationary effects of foreign currency inflows and develop more active financial markets.

Slovakia boasts the fastest growth rate in central and eastern Europe as it turns from regional laggard to leader. It has boosted growth, controlled government spending and attracted FDI with a tax policy some of its larger neighbours dislike. They won't intimidate finance minister Ivan Miklos.

Last year, at the IMF meetings in Dubai, the Iraqi delegation was led by Adil Abdul Mahdi. At the time, he was already a leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the leading Shiite party in the country.

Today, Mahdi is minister of finance in Iraq's interim government, charged with restructuring the country's debts before the end of the year. Here, he speaks to Euromoney in his first detailed comments on the subject since he took office.

Hossein Abdoh Tabrizi obtained a doctorate in finance from the Manchester Business School in 1977. He has been secretary-general of the Tehran Stock Exchange since May 2003 and is also a member of the exchange's high council. He speaks to Euromoney's Kate Luxford.

In 20 months as governor, Alfonso Prat-Gay built a credible central bank from almost nothing, managed the money supply brilliantly, oversaw currency stability, kept rates low and even began whipping the banking sector into shape. For these achievements, he is Euromoney's central bank governor of the year. But he also strove for greater independence for the central bank. Now, on the eve of the country's crucial bond exchange, president Nestor Kirchner has chosen to dispense with Argentina's most internationally respected policymaker.

Philippe Maystadt, president and chairman of the board of directors of the European Investment Bank, speaks to Euromoney's Mark Brown about the bank's lending policies, criticisms from the European Parliament and the bank's response to EU enlargement.

Anatoliy Shapovalov, deputy minister of finance of Ukraine and head of sovereign borrowing

One of the main drivers of economic growth in eastern Europe has been the accession of its states to Nato. Julian Evans meets Bruce Jackson, the former investment banker who made it happen.

Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, Saudi Arabia's minister of finance and national economy since 1996, has steered the economy through a difficult period. He has played a leading role in the modernization, diversification and liberalization of the Saudi economy and managed its finances prudently in a period in which oil prices have swung between $10 and $30 a barrel. Al-Assaf, a 54-year old economist who has served as the country's executive director at the World Bank for six years and as vice-governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (Sama) and wins Euromoney's finance minister of the year award for 2003, spoke to Nigel Dudley in his office in Riyadh.

National Bank of Kazakhstan's governor, Grigori Marchenko, won't say it, but he has been the main influence behind his country's widely acclaimed economic success story.

Euromoney's Chris Cockerill speaks to Suchart Jaovisidha, Thailand's new finance minister, about non-performing loans, competition from China, the impact of Sars on tourism earnings and the plan for a pan-Asian investment fund, the Asia Bond Fund

The president of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, speaks to Euromoney's Asia editor Chris Cockerill about the state of the economy, the battle against corruption and the future of the country after her term of office finishes.

Société Générale chairman Daniel Bouton speaks to Euromoney’s Jennifer Morris about his bank’s performance, strategy and prospects

Ian Macfarlane points to the dynamism of Australia’s economy, neglected by a market that went hi-tech mad, as part of the reason for his success at the Reserve Bank of Australia. But he’s made a few good calls of his own.