Riad Salameh

Riad Salameh is the governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon. He was born on July 17, 1950 in Kfardebian, Lebanon, son of Toufic and Renee (nee Romanos) Salameh. He has received acclaim for his policies averting financial catastrophe in Lebanon amid the Financial crisis of 2007–2010.

Governor Salameh received numerous awards including the 1996 Euromoney Award as the best Central Bank Governor in the Arab World; the 1997 Knight of the Legion of Honor bestowed on him by French President Jacques Chirac; the 2003 Euromoney Award’s Man of the Year as the Best Central Bank Governor; the 2004 Shield Award from Bankers for a Better Future, an international academic banking organization, upon his selection as one of the best 20 Central Bank Governors in the world; the 2005 Euromoney Award for Emerging Markets as the Best Central Bank Governor in the Middle East and the 2006 Euromoney Award as the best Central Bank Governor in the world.

In 2009, The Banker Magazine voted Governor Salameh Central Banker of the Year. He became the first Arab central bank governor to ring the opening bell signaling the start of trading at the New York Stock Exchange. The American Lebanese Chamber of Commerce, NY Stock Exchange Euronext, Auerbach Grayson, and The Bank of New York Mellon hosted what was known as "Lebanon Capital Market Day". This came obviously as a reward for Governor Salameh's achievements and strategic decisions through the global economic crisis, the governor was honored on March 2, 2009 at New York Stock Exchange by being invited to ring the starting bell that Monday morning.