Position: Finance minister, Egypt

Biography: Before his appointment, Galal was the managing director of the Cairo-headquartered Economic Research Forum, a research institution covering Arab countries, Iran and Turkey. He had held the position since 2007.

Between 2000 and 2006, he was the executive director and director of research of the Egyptian Centre for Economic Studies, a think-tank focused on economic development in Egypt.

He previously worked at the World Bank for 18 years, joining the institution in 1984. He held various roles at the bank, including as an industrial economist for the Europe, Middle East and North African region, senior and principal economist in the research arm of the bank and as an economic adviser in the private sector development department.

He completed a doctorate in economics from the US’ Boston University in 1986.