The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has turned to renowned monetary economist Silvana Tenreyro to lead its global economic research agenda as the institution prepares to navigate a period of rising uncertainty and major shifts in the world economy.
Tenreyro, a former external member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, will take over as the IMF’s Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department on August 10, 2026, replacing Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, who has returned to academia.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the appointment reflected the Fund’s commitment to strengthening its analytical capacity at a time when governments and markets are facing complex economic challenges.
She described Tenreyro as an economist with a rare combination of academic expertise and practical policymaking experience, qualities she said would enhance the IMF’s global surveillance and policy advice.
“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,” Georgieva said.
Tenreyro joins the IMF from the London School of Economics (LSE), where she has served as the James E. Meade Professor of Economics since 2004.
Her academic work has focused on international trade, monetary policy and macroeconomic issues, earning her international recognition and several distinctions within the economics profession.
She also brings significant central banking experience, having served on the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee from 2017 to 2023, where she contributed to decisions on interest rates and inflation management in the United Kingdom.
Before her role at the Bank of England, Tenreyro worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and served on the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Mauritius.
The Argentine, British and Italian national is also a member of the IMF Managing Director’s External Advisory Group, further strengthening her familiarity with the institution’s work.
Georgieva praised Tenreyro’s ability to explain complex economic issues clearly, saying her communication skills would be valuable as one of the IMF’s leading voices on the global economy.
“She is known for her ability to communicate complex economic issues with clarity and precision and fosters constructive dialogue across diverse audiences,” she said.
Tenreyro holds a doctorate and master’s degree in economics from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the National University of Tucumán in Argentina.
At the IMF, she will oversee the institution’s research programmes and lead the preparation of major economic publications, including global outlook reports that influence policymakers, investors and financial markets worldwide.
