DAMASCUS: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has appointed Abdul Hamid Raslan as the country's new central bank governor, state media announced Friday. Raslan, a longtime banker and former head of the state-backed Syrian Development Fund, succeeds Ab
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DAMASCUS: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has appointed Abdul Hamid Raslan as the country’s new central bank governor, state media announced Friday.
Raslan, a longtime banker and former head of the state-backed Syrian Development Fund, succeeds Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya. Hasriya, who served as governor since April 2025, will transition to a new diplomatic role as Syria's ambassador to Canada, according to a foreign ministry official.
The leadership change at the financial institution is the latest development in a broader partial government overhaul initiated by President Sharaa last week. The recent administrative reshuffle has already resulted in the replacement of two ministers, several regional governors, and the secretary-general for the presidency.
While the official reasons behind the sweeping restructuring remain unclear, the central bank transition marks a new phase for Syria's economy. Outgoing governor Hasriya notably oversaw a major currency reform earlier this year, removing two zeros from banknotes to simplify transactions.
