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Syria on Friday appointed a new central bank governor in the latest leadership reshuffle carried out by the country’s transitional administration.
According to Syria’s official SANA news agency, President Ahmad al-Sharaa appointed longtime banker Abdul Hamid Raslan as governor of the Central Bank of Syria.
Raslan previously headed the Syrian Development Fund and has held several positions in the banking sector.
He replaces Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya, who will reportedly become Syria’s ambassador to Canada, according to Syrian state television, citing a Foreign Ministry official.
Hasriya had served as central bank governor since April 2025 after taking over from Maysa Sabreen, who was appointed caretaker governor in December 2024 following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s government.
During his tenure, Syrian authorities introduced redesigned banknotes and carried out a monetary adjustment removing two zeros from the Syrian pound in an effort aimed at simplifying transactions and restoring confidence in the currency.
The changes did not alter the currency’s actual value but were presented by authorities as part of broader financial reforms.
The redesigned banknotes also removed images of Bashar Assad and members of his family that had appeared on Syrian currency during the former government.
The central bank appointment comes days after Sharaa announced a partial government overhaul that included the replacement of several ministers, provincial governors and senior presidential officials.
Among the changes was the removal of Sharaa’s brother, Maher al-Sharaa, from his position as secretary-general of the presidency.
Syrian authorities have not publicly explained the reasons behind the reshuffle.
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