The IMF's Indian-American chief economist, Gita Gopinath, has been promoted to First Deputy Managing Director, in recognition of her outstanding intellectual leadership in guiding the global economy and the Fund through the "twists and turns" of the "worst economic crisis of our lives."
Gopinath will succeed Geoffrey Okamoto, who will leave the International Monetary Fund early next year said Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF's Managing Director. Gopinath, who was supposed to return to Harvard University in January 2022, has decided to stay, according to her. For the past three years, Gopinath, 49, has served as the global lender's first female chief economist.
She also stated that Gopinath, the IMF's first female chief economist, has earned the respect and admiration of member countries and the institution for her track record of leading analytically rigorous work on a wide range of issues.
The IMF's Research Department had gone from "strength to strength" under Gopinath's leadership, with the World Economic Outlook, a new analytical approach to help countries respond to international capital flows, highlighting its contributions in multilateral surveillance (the integrated policy framework). The IMF's Managing Director praised Gopinath's recent work on a pandemic plan to end the COVID-19 crisis by setting targets to vaccinate the entire world at a reasonable cost.
Georgieva said, "She is the right person at the right time."
“I am honoured and humbled to become the IMF’s next FDMD,” Gopinath said on her new appointment.
Gopinath stated that she had the opportunity to witness first-hand and be a part of the IMF's vital work at the intersection of rigorous economic analysis and public policy over the past three years.
“It has been so gratifying to see the positive impact of our work on economies and on the lives of so many people worldwide. As the pandemic continues its grip on us, the work of the Fund has never been more critical and international cooperation never more important,” said Gopinath and thanked Georgieva and the IMF Board for giving her the opportunity.