On Oct. 6, President Ebrahim Raisi appointed Ali Salehabadi as the new governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI). The appointment of Salehabadi to head the country’s most important financial institution reflects Raisi’s apparent confidence in a relatively young technocrat—especially in light of the high priority given to Iran’s economic future by the current government.

According to reports, Salehabadi’s appointment faced criticism from some ministers who pointed out that he lacked formal education in economics. Yet his rise to the CBI leadership reflects various current and emerging trends at the highest levels of the executive branch...