- IMF Kristalina Georgieva Names Silvana Tenreyro as New Chief Economist
The International Monetary Fund has appointed Silvana Tenreyro as its new Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department, placing the London School of Economics professor at the centre of the Fund’s global economic analysis and policy advice at a time of heightened uncertainty in the world economy.
The appointment was announced on July 7, 2026, by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, who said Ms Tenreyro will succeed Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, who recently returned to academia.
Ms Tenreyro, who currently serves as the James E. Meade Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, will assume the role on August 10, 2026.
As Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department, she will become one of the IMF’s principal voices on the global economic outlook and will oversee the analytical work that underpins the Fund’s multilateral surveillance, policy advice and flagship research publications.
“I am delighted to announce that Silvana Tenreyro will join the Fund as our next Chief Economist,” Ms Georgieva said.
“Silvana is a globally respected economist who combines outstanding academic achievements with extensive policy making experience and a close engagement with leading international institutions.”
Ms Georgieva said the appointment comes at a critical period for the global economy, as countries confront structural shifts, policy uncertainty, financial vulnerabilities, trade fragmentation, debt pressures and the continuing challenge of achieving durable and inclusive growth.
“At a time of profound transformation and heightened uncertainty in the global economy, Silvana’s mix of intellectual leadership and policy experience will help ensure that the Fund’s analytical work and multilateral surveillance and policy advice will remain at the cutting edge in support of our membership,” she said.
Ms Tenreyro has been on the faculty of the London School of Economics since 2004 and is widely recognised for her research in macroeconomics, monetary policy and international economics.
Her work has been published in leading academic journals and has earned several international honours, including the Yrjö Jahnsson Award, the Bernhard Harms Prize and the Birgit Grodal Award.
She is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Econometric Society and the Royal Economic Society, and a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Economic Association.
She has also served as President of the European Economic Association.
Beyond academia, Ms Tenreyro brings substantial policymaking experience to the IMF.
She served as an external member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee from 2017 to 2023, a period marked by Brexit-related uncertainty, the Covid-19 shock, supply disruptions, inflation pressures and a major shift in global interest rate conditions.
Earlier in her career, she worked as an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and was a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Mauritius.
She is currently a member of the IMF Managing Director’s External Advisory Group and advises leading public and private institutions on economic and financial matters.
Ms Georgieva described Ms Tenreyro as an exceptional leader and communicator with the ability to guide rigorous economic debate while building consensus.
“Silvana stands out as an exceptional leader and communicator,” Ms Georgieva said.
“She is admired for her thoughtful and collegial leadership style, openness to diverse perspectives, and ability to build consensus while encouraging rigorous debate.”
She added that Ms Tenreyro’s ability to explain complex economic issues clearly would be important in her new role.
“She is also known for her ability to communicate complex economic issues with clarity and precision and fosters constructive dialogue across diverse audiences,” Ms Georgieva said.
“These qualities will serve her well as one of the Fund’s principal voices on the global economic outlook and as the leader of the Research Department.”
The IMF’s Research Department plays a central role in shaping the institution’s view of the global economy, including through major publications such as the World Economic Outlook and analytical work used by policymakers, central banks, finance ministries and investors.
The department’s work also supports IMF surveillance and policy advice to member countries, making the Chief Economist one of the most influential analytical positions in global economic governance.
Ms Tenreyro’s appointment comes as the Fund continues to advise member countries on navigating a complex post-pandemic and post-inflation environment.
Many economies are still managing elevated debt levels, tighter financing conditions, climate-related risks, technological disruption, demographic shifts and the economic implications of geopolitical tensions.
For emerging markets and developing economies, the IMF’s research and policy guidance will remain particularly important as governments seek to balance growth, inflation control, debt sustainability and social protection.
Ms Tenreyro’s experience across academia, central banking and international policy engagement is expected to strengthen the Fund’s analytical leadership during this period.
An Argentine, British and Italian national, Ms Tenreyro earned her PhD and MA in Economics from Harvard University after completing a degree in economics from the National University of Tucumán in Argentina.
Her appointment adds another prominent academic and policy voice to the IMF’s senior leadership at a time when the institution is under pressure to help countries respond to both immediate macroeconomic shocks and longer-term structural changes.
For the Fund, the transition from Mr Gourinchas to Ms Tenreyro signals continuity in high-level economic research while bringing in a new leader with deep central banking experience and a strong academic record.
As Chief Economist, Ms Tenreyro will be expected to shape the IMF’s analysis of global growth, inflation, financial stability, trade, productivity and policy coordination.
Her tenure will begin at a moment when the world economy remains uncertain and fragmented, making clear, credible and policy-relevant analysis central to the Fund’s role.
The appointment therefore places Ms Tenreyro at the heart of global economic debate, with responsibility for helping the IMF’s 190-member institution understand and respond to the forces reshaping the international economy.
