rateb shallah is chairman of the bank of syria and overseas. it began operations with just 19 employees. >>shallah: now we have twenty four branches in syria and our staff are now over 470 employees. >>reporter: foreign deposits have increased from $500 million in 2005 to more than four billion dollars. syrian deposits are up two and a half times and lending has increased by more than five times. syria also now has a stock exchange - albeit one with some cautious regulations on its activities. rateb shallahis also chairman of the new exchange. >>shallah: i would allow him to invest in whatever he likes provided he does not borrow to finance his purchaseand he will not be allowed to sell short what he does not own. >>reporter: one factor, though, affecting the country's potential is that it remains under us sanctions - preventing a more complete integration into the global economy - although the governor of the central bank maintains their impact has been minimal. >>mayaleh: regardless of the pressure we've been under in the recent years, americ

rateb shallah is chairman of the bank of syria and overseas. it began operations with just 19 employees. >>shallah: now we have twenty four branches in syria and our staff are now over 470 employees. >>reporter: foreign deposits have increased from $500 million in 2005 to more than four billion dollars. syrian deposits are up two and a half times and lending has increased by more than five times. syria also now has a stock exchange - albeit one with some cautious regulations on its activities. rateb shallahis also chairman of the new exchange. >>shallah: i would allow him to invest in whatever he likes provided he does not borrow to finance his purchaseand he will not be allowed to sell short what he does not own. >>reporter: one factor, though, affecting the country's potential is that it remains under us sanctions - preventing a more complete integration into the global economy - although the governor of the central bank maintains their impact has been minimal. >>mayaleh: regardless of the pressure we've been under in the recent years, americ