Standard Chartered gets preliminary thumbs up from CBE to enter Egypt: The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has given preliminary approval for Standard Chartered to enter the Egyptian banking sector, CBE deputy governor Gamal Negm told state-owned Middle East News Agency yesterday, confirming news initially reported by talk show host Lamees El Hadidi on Sunday night. The British bank will open its first local branch by September at the latest and plans to establish a second branch in Alexandria in 2023, Negm said.