IMF Selects Former Bank of England Official as Chief Economist

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has appointed former Bank of England policymaker Silvana Tenreyro as its next Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department, entrusting the respected monetary economist with leading the institution’s economic analysis at a time of heightened global uncertainty.

Tenreyro will assume office on August 10, 2026, succeeding Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, who recently returned to academia after serving as the Fund’s Chief Economist.

Announcing the appointment, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva described Tenreyro as a globally respected economist whose blend of academic excellence and policymaking experience would strengthen the Fund’s analytical work and policy advice.

“I am delighted to announce that Silvana Tenreyro will join the Fund as our next Chief Economist,” Georgieva said.

She added that Tenreyro’s experience would help ensure the IMF’s research and multilateral surveillance remain at the forefront of global economic policymaking.

“Silvana is a globally respected economist who combines outstanding academic achievements with extensive policymaking experience and close engagement with leading international institutions. At a time of profound transformation and heightened uncertainty in the global economy, her mix of intellectual leadership and policy experience will help ensure that the Fund’s analytical work, multilateral surveillance and policy advice remain at the cutting edge in support of our membership,” Georgieva stated.

Tenreyro joins the IMF from the London School of Economics, where she has served as the James E. Meade Professor of Economics since 2004. Her research has focused on international trade, monetary policy and macroeconomics, earning her widespread recognition within the global economics community.

She also brings extensive central banking experience, having served as an external member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee from 2017 to 2023. Earlier in her career, she worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and served on the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Mauritius. She is currently a member of the IMF Managing Director’s External Advisory Group.

Georgieva also praised Tenreyro’s leadership and communication skills, describing her as an economist capable of explaining complex issues with clarity while fostering constructive dialogue across diverse audiences.

“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,” she said.

An Argentine, British and Italian national, Tenreyro holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the National University of Tucumán in Argentina, as well as a master’s degree and doctorate in economics from Harvard University.

As Chief Economist, she will lead the IMF’s Research Department and oversee the production of the Fund’s flagship economic reports, including its global economic outlooks, which help shape policy decisions and financial markets around the world.