Bank Negara's Zeti awarded 'Grade A' among central bank governors

KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz has been accorded “Grade A” among the heads of central banks for the 10th time by the Global Finance magazine.

The magazine, with headquarters in New York and with offices in London, Rio de Janeiro and Milan, named the heads of central banks of Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan as world’s best central bankers for the year 2013 in recognition of their achievement.

Philippines’ central bank governor Amando Tetangco Jr and Taiwan’s Central Bank Governor Fai-nan Perng are on the list.

According to Global Finance, the central bankers are assessed on their determination to stand up to political interference and their efforts at influencing their government on such issues as spending and economic openness to foreign investment and financial services.

“As developed economies begin the gradual route to recovery and some of the largest emerging markets continue to slow, the world’s central bankers face a challenging time in managing monetary policy to positively influence economic stability and growth,” it said.

The Central Banker Report Cards, published annually by Global Finance since 1994, grades central bank governors of more than 50 key countries (and the European Union).

The grading is done on an “A” to “F” scale for success in areas such as economic growth goals, currency stability and interest rate management. Global Finance, founded in 1987, has a circulation of 50,050 and readers in 163 countries. — Bernama