Amer Bisat

Amer Bisat
عامر البساط
Minister of Economy and Trade
Assumed office
8 February 2025
PresidentJoseph Aoun
Prime MinisterNawaf Salam
Preceded byAmin Salam
Personal details
BornLebanon
Political partyIndependent
Alma materColumbia University and American University of Beirut
OccupationBusinessman, Professor, Politician
CabinetNawaf Salam cabinet

Amer Bisat (Arabic: عامر البساط) is a Lebanese businessman, academic, and politician, currently serving as the Minister of Economy and Trade in the cabinet of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, formed on 8 February 2025.[1] Bisat is also a professor, author, and trustee of several cultural and art institutions.

Career

Academic and Professional Background

Until his appointment as Lebanese Minister of Economy, Amer Bisat was the Global Head of Emerging Markets Debt at BlackRock. Before that, he had held senior portfolio management roles at Morgan Stanley and UBS. In the 1990s, he served as a senior economist at the International Monetary Fund where he helped negotiate high profile programs with Russia, Ukraine and Egypt. Bisat taught graduate-level economics courses at Columbia University in New York. His academic work focuses on globalization, economic growth, and financial sector development. He has co-authored academic and policy papers on these topics, contributing to both scholarly and practical discussions on economic policy.[2]

Bisat is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs. He also served as the Chairman of the Arab Banking Association of North American (ABANA).

Political Career

In February 2025, Bisat was appointed Lebanon's Minister of Economy and Trade in the government of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. His appointment came amid Lebanon's ongoing economic crisis, with expectations that his expertise in economics and globalization would help steer the country toward recovery.[3]

Publications

Bisat co-edited the book Covering Globalization: A Handbook for Reporters with Anya Schiffrin, published by Columbia University Press in 2004. The book serves as a guide for journalists reporting on the complexities of globalization, offering insights into economic, political, and cultural dimensions of the phenomenon.[4]

Personal life

Bisat is a Sunni Muslim and has been involved in various cultural and art institutions as a trustee. His contributions to the arts and culture sector reflect his commitment to fostering creativity and intellectual growth in Lebanon and beyond.

See Also

References

  1. ^ "The Government is Formed: Here Are the Ministers!". MTV Lebanon. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
  2. ^ "Amer Bisat". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
  3. ^ "New Lebanese government formed, tasked with economic recovery". Reuters. 8 February 2025. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  4. ^ Schiffrin, Anya; Bisat, Amer, eds. (November 2004). Covering Globalization: A Handbook for Reporters. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-50640-3.