Nobody could quite fill Alan Greenspan’s shoes. But since he stood down as chairman of the US Federal Reserve at the start of last year, a committed European has laid claim to his role as senior prefect among the world’s central bankers.

Next month, Jean-Claude Trichet, 64, passes the halfway mark of his eight-year term as president of the Frankfurt-based European Central Bank with his reputation and image clearly on the rise. During the recent global financial market turmoil he has shown a sureness of touch that has impressed ECB watchers.