Press Release No. 09/101

Press Release: IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn Expresses Appreciation for Thomas Bernes's Contribution as Director of the Independent Evaluation Office

March 30, 2009

Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), made the following statement after Mr. Thomas Bernes, Director of the IMF’s Independent Evaluation Office (IEO), notified the Fund’s Executive Board of his intention to leave his position at the end of July 2009:

“On behalf of the Fund management team and staff, I want to thank Tom Bernes for his valuable contribution to the work and the standing of the Fund. Succeeding Montek Ahluwalia, the first Director of the IEO, in June 2005, Tom led the IEO to continue its independent and rigorous evaluations of the Fund’s work, from which the Fund, member countries, and the public have benefited greatly.

“For more than 10 years, Tom has been closely associated with the development of an independent evaluation function at the Fund. He was the Chairman of the Board’s Evaluation Committee, when agreement was reached to establish the IEO, which came into existence in 2001. Tom will be leaving the IEO at the end of July to pursue other opportunities of interest. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”