Helder Lopes started his six-year term as Timor-Leste’s new central bank governor today (September 13). The new governor highlighted the need to boost the country’s lending activity and private investment.

Lopes was vice-minister of finance before taking up the new role. He was also vice-minister of finance for a previous government, from 2015 and 2017. Before that, he was the finance ministry’s chief of staff. Lopes holds a master’s degree in agricultural economics from Michigan State