IMF appoints Silvana Tenreyro as chief economist, head of research

• Tenreyro holds citizenship in Argentina, Italy, and Britain, and served on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee from 2017 to 2023
• The chief economist role oversees IMF economic updates and serves as a principal voice on global economic outlook, a position complicated by recent challenges including the pandemic and geopolitical conflicts
• Tenreyro won the Bernhard Harms Prize in 2023 for pioneering work on economic volatility, monetary policy transmission, and currency unions

IMF Appoints Silvana Tenreyro as Chief Economist

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced Tuesday that Silvana Tenreyro will become its next chief economist and head of research, effective August 10. She replaces Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, who is returning to academia.

Key Appointment Details

Tenreyro, a citizen of Argentina, Italy, and Britain, is a longtime professor of economics at the London School of Economics. She brings extensive central banking experience, having served as an external member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee from 2017 to 2023. She previously worked as an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and served on the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Mauritius.

Qualifications and Expertise

The appointment comes during a period of "profound transformation and heightened uncertainty in the global economy," according to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. Tenreyro's academic credentials include a Ph.D. and Master's degree in economics from Harvard University. She is currently part of Georgieva's external advisory group and advises leading public and private institutions.

Last year, Tenreyro won the Kiel Institute's Bernhard Harms Prize for pioneering work on economic volatility, monetary policy transmission, and currency unions. Institute president Moritz Schularick praised her contributions to understanding how diversification and shock dynamics affect growth and welfare in both emerging and advanced economies.

Role Significance

As chief economist, Tenreyro will oversee the IMF's regular economic updates and serve as a principal voice on global economic outlook—a position increasingly complex due to recent challenges including the pandemic, U.S. policy changes, and geopolitical conflicts.