Leading US financier prepares for Israel central bank job

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2005

JERUSALEM (AFP) — Leading US financier Stanley Fischer was gearing up to be officially appointed head of Israel's central bank in a move hailed by the local financial markets but criticised by opposition MPs.

Last week's surprise nomination of the vice chairman of Citigroup -- one of the largest financial groups in the world -- marked the first time a non-Israeli citizen has been named to head the central bank.

With Fischer still caught up the naturalisation process, the prospect of him sitting behind one of the most important desks in domestic economics, was greeted by rising stocks in Tel Aviv as the value of the shekel inched up.

The business world hopes that Fischer, a former top official at the International Monetary Fund, will mobilise the full weight...