Amer Bisat () is a Lebanese businessman, academic, and politician, currently serving as the Minister of Economy and Trade in the cabinet of Prime Minister

Nawaf Salam Nawaf Abdallah Salim Salam (; born 15 December 1953) is a Lebanese politician, diplomat, jurist and academic who has been serving as the 53rd prime minister of Lebanon since 8 February 2025. Salam previously sat on the International Court of Ju ...

, formed on 8 February 2025. 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 Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

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. Bisat is a member of the

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank focused on Foreign policy of the United States, U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is an independent and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organi ...

, 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.

Publications

Bisat co-edited the book ''Covering Globalization: A Handbook for Reporters'' with Anya Schiffrin, published by

Columbia University Press Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's la ...

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.

Personal life

Bisat is a

Sunni Muslim Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...

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.

References

External links

Middle East Institute Profile

''Covering Globalization'' at Columbia University Press
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bisat, Amer Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Columbia University faculty 21st-century Lebanese politicians Lebanese Sunni politicians Economy and Trade ministers of Lebanon Lebanese businesspeople Lebanese academics American University of Beirut alumni Columbia University alumni