Gita Gopinath, the first female chief economist of the IMF, is set to become the first deputy executive director of the organization.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Chief Economist Gita Gopinath is preparing to take over the number two seat of the institution from Geoffrey Okamoto, according to the statement made by the institution.
The move comes as a surprise as Gopinath, the first woman to serve as chief economist at the IMF, announced in October that she plans to attend Harvard University to regain her permanent post after three years of civil service.
“Some reorganizations are being made in the roles and responsibilities of the Fund’s senior management team,” the IMF said in a statement.
The U.S. is Happy with the Decision
At the IMF, the first deputy managing director is traditionally nominated by the United States and appointed by the IMF managing director.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury approves of this choice and is pleased that this role has regained business responsibility.
“The first deputy managing director will be responsible for oversight and related policy, will manage research and key publications, and will support the maintenance of the highest quality standards for fund publications,” the IMF said.