International Monetary Fund Appoints Krishna Srinivasan As APAC Department Head

The Asia and Pacific Department of the IMF was led by Changyong Rhee who announced his retirement on 23 March.

India's Krishna Srinivasan has been appointed as the director of the Asia and Pacific Department of the International Monetary Fund, according to the IMF's press release on Wednesday, 8 June.

Srinivasan's new appointment will begin from 22 June. His predecessor, Changyong Rhee, announced his retirement on 23 March.

With more than 27 years of working at IMF, Srinivasan started the Economist Program in 1994 and is currently a Deputy Director in the Asia-Pacific department. He oversees the department's surveillance work on smaller states in the Pacific such as Fiji and Vanuatu, and systemically important nations such as China and Korea.

Srinivasan led the IMF's work on G20 during the Global Financial Crisis as an integral member of the research department.

"Krishna is a highly regarded member of our Fund family and has made many important and innovative contributions to our mission throughout his career at the IMF. His appointment to the director position is a culmination of his superior record of leadership across a wide range of departments."

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Srinivasan has been crucial in the IMF's effort on macroeconomic work, piloting disaster resilience strategies, and sovereign debt restructuring.

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, said that Srinivasan is known as a first-rate collaborator and trusted advisor across various hierarchies of the IMF.

Prior to his long stint with the IMF, Srinivasan was an Assistant Professor of Economics and International Finance at Indiana-Purdue University in addition to fulfilling the role of a consultant at the World Bank in DC and the Centre for Policy Research and Planning Commission in New Delhi.

"Krishna has made his mark as a strategic thinker, innovator, and people manager. In fact, he was one of the first managers to receive the Fund's Excellence in Leadership Award when it was inaugurated in 2010. That same year, he was also one of the first to receive the Fund's Award for Extraordinary Effort, which speaks to Krishna's willingness to go above and beyond to ensure that the Fund is providing the best service to its membership."

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Srinivasan has conducted in-depth, yet expansive research on not only Asia but also Latin America and the Caribbean. His expertise does not only pertain to economics and finance but also covers climate and other economic development issues that these countries are most likely to face in the future. His work has been published in books, academic journals, and media publications.

He holds a Master's in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics, a Bachelor's in Economics from the University of Delhi and a PhD in Economics from Indiana University.

(With inputs from International Monetary Fund's Press Release)