Prime Minister endorses Centeno for BdP top job

 In Banks, News

It now seems increasingly likely that former Finance Minister Mário Centeno will fill the chair of the Governor of the Bank of Portugal.

The Prime Minister António Costa met with the outgoing Governor of the Bank of Portugal, Carlos Costa, at São Bento and also, earlier, with political party leaders to discuss the succession at Portugal’s central bank.
It is understood that he has told Carlos Costa that he will put Mário Centeno’s name forward for the post of Governor of the Bank of Portugal.
On Monday evening, the Prime Minister finally admitted that: “Mário Centeno is a possibility” for the Bank of Portugal, putting forward his ex-finance minister for the top job.
Carlos Costa’s term at the central bank officially ends in mid-July after a 10-year stint in the job and the Prime Minister will have already indicated what needs to be done to speed up the process, but may have to rely on the current governor for a few days beyond the date when his term is up, to dovetail with Mário Centeno’s departure from Eurogroup.