Fischer named ‘Globes’ person of the year

US Federal Chairman Ben Bernanke: "It’s a privilege for me to say a few words in honor of my teacher."

By ADI BEN-ISRAEL, HILLEL KOREN/ GLOBES
stanley fischer 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
stanley fischer 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Globes named Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer its person of the year for 2010 at the gala opening session of the Globes Israel Business Conference 2010 in Tel Aviv on Sunday.
The Globes conference, held at the David Intercontinental Hotel, is the most prestigious annual event in Israel’s business sector. Executives, politicians and decision makers meet to discuss the latest trends in the local and global economies.
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To mark Fischer’s award, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke taped a special greeting that was played at the ceremony, saying: “It’s a privilege for me to say a few words in honor of my teacher.” Fischer was Bernanke’s professor at MIT.
“He was at the forefront of research,” Bernanke said. “He’s doing incredible work at the Bank of Israel. Fischer is a leading voice in the global economy. On a personal level, I very much value the talks on policy issues we’ve had since I became Fed chairman.”
Bernanke concluded with the Hebrew phrase “Yasher koach,” meaning good job, or well done.
Fischer thanked Bank of Israel staff members, former finance minister Ronnie Bar- On, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and Finance Ministry staff members for keeping fiscal discipline.
Fischer discussed issues that need to be dealt with in Israel, saying, “We are very good at dealing with the immediate problems, but somewhat less good in meeting longer-term challenges. We need to change that.”