Maysaa Sabrine has been appointed as the governor of Syria’s central bank, making history as the first woman to hold the position in the institution’s over 70-year existence, a senior Syrian official confirmed.
Sabrine, who previously served as deputy governor, brings over 15 years of experience in banking oversight and financial regulation. She holds a master’s degree in accounting from Damascus University and is a certified public accountant. Since December 2018, she has represented the central bank on the board of directors at the Damascus Securities Exchange, in addition to serving as deputy governor and head of the Office Control Division.
Her appointment follows the removal of Mohammed Issam Hazime, who was named governor in 2021 by former President Bashar al-Assad. Hazime’s tenure ended after al-Assad was ousted in a rapid rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on December 8.
Sabrine’s leadership comes during a challenging period for Syria’s economy, as the new administration seeks to stabilize the country’s financial institutions amid ongoing political and economic turmoil.
