Figures released by the Central Bank of Lebanon indicate that there were 19,324 individuals working in the financial sector in Lebanon at the end of 2021, representing a decrease of 17% from 23,246 people at the end of 2020, and a decline of 26% from 26,101 people at the end of 2019. Employees in commercial banks constituted 91.7% of the total, followed by those in financial institutions at 4.6% and medium and long-term banks at 3.7%. The number of female workers in the financial sector in Lebanon reached 9,277 women at the end of 2021, accounting for 48% of the workforce in the sector. These figures were included in the weekly economic report by Byblos Bank, Lebanon This Week.
The number of employees in commercial banks was 17,716 at the end of 2021, down 17% from 21,366 employees at the end of 2020, and down 26% from 23,954 employees at the end of 2019. By the end of 2021, the workforce in commercial banks comprised 12,053 employees in non-executive positions, or 68% of the total, followed by 5,471 employees in executive positions (31% of the total), and 192 individuals in the positions of General Manager, Deputy General Manager, or Assistant General Manager (1.1%). Additionally, the number of female employees in commercial banks in Lebanon reached 8,645 at the end of 2021, representing 48.8% of the total workforce in those banks. Furthermore, university graduates made up 81.2% of all employees in commercial banks at the end of 2021, followed by high school diploma holders at 11.3% and employees with less than a high school certificate or a university degree at 7.5%.
The number of employees in financial institutions was 884 at the end of 2021, a decline of 18.5% from 1,084 employees at the end of 2020, and a decrease of 32.9% from 1,318 employees at the end of 2019. By the end of 2021, the workforce in financial institutions consisted of 417 employees in executive positions and 417 employees in non-executive positions (47.2% each), along with 50 individuals in the positions of General Manager, Deputy General Manager, or Assistant General Manager (5.7%). The number of female workers in financial institutions in Lebanon was 348 at the end of 2021, representing 39.4% of the total number of employees in financial institutions. Moreover, university graduates constituted 70% of the total workforce in financial institutions in Lebanon at the end of 2021, followed by high school diploma holders at 20.3% and employees with less than a high school certificate or a university degree at 9.6%.
Finally, the number of employees in medium and long-term banks was 724 at the end of 2021, a decrease of 9% from 796 employees at the end of 2020, and a decline of 12.7% from 829 employees at the end of 2019. The workforce in medium and long-term banks comprised 452 employees in non-executive positions (62.4%), 250 employees in executive positions (34.5%), and 22 individuals in the positions of General Manager, Deputy General Manager, or Assistant General Manager (3%). Additionally, the number of female employees in medium and long-term banks in Lebanon reached 284 at the end of 2021, representing 39.2% of the total number of employees in those banks. Furthermore, university graduates made up 78.5% of the total workforce in medium and long-term banks in Lebanon at the end of 2021, followed by high school diploma holders at 9.3% and employees with less than a high school certificate or a university degree at 12.3%.
