IMF Shanghai Center
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Opening and location
- The IMF Shanghai Center was opened on December 8, 2025 by the IMF’s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
- The Center is co-sponsored by the IMF and the People’s Bank of China, and is located in the Huangpu district of Shanghai.
- Office Line and Email: +86 021-6366-6908; SHC-CHN@IMF.org
- Address: 777 Zhongshan South Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai 200011
- The Shanghai Center celebrated its official opening on December 8, 2025 with an inaugural research seminar.
Objectives and primary tasks
- Objectives:
- Conduct economic and financial research relevant to emerging market and middle-income countries.
- Enhance engagement with the Asia and Pacific region and enable cross-fertilization of ideas and policies in the region and beyond.
- Enhance the appreciation of Asian perspectives, including within the IMF.
- Serve as a bridge between economists at headquarters and economic scholars in Asia.
- Primary Task:
- Conduct academic and policy research relevant for emerging and middle-income economies, especially in Asia.
- Some research is conducted jointly with staff at IMF headquarters.
- The Shanghai Center does not do China specific research.
- Other Tasks:
- Serve as a platform for exchange and peer learning, often in collaboration with China-IMF Capacity Development Center (CICDC).
- Act as the IMF counterpart for multilateral institutions in China (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), New Development Bank (NDB)).
Finances and governance
- Co-financing and support:
- Co-financed by the IMF and the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC).
- Non-monetary (in-kind) support from other entities: for example, the office building is provided by Shanghai’s Huangpu District.
- Operational support from the Shanghai government, the PBOC and other institutions.
- Legal and governance framework:
- Establishment Agreement and Host Country Agreement between China and the IMF regulate roles and responsibilities.
- Full Operational Independence, under the leadership of the Director and the Deputy Director—both staff of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department.
- Strategic guidance is provided by a Research Steering Committee.
- The Research Steering Committee is chaired by the Director of the IMF’s Research Department and includes two more IMF Directors and four academics selected jointly by IMF and PBOC.
Research Steering Committee and meetings
- Research Steering Committee membership:
- Silvana Tenreyro (Chair): Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department (from August 10)
- Krishna Srinivasan: Director of the Asia Pacific Department
- Catriona Purfield: Director of the Institute for Capacity Development
- Chong-En Bai (Tsinghua)
- Chang-Tai Hsieh (Chicago)
- Danny Quah (National University of Singapore)
- Li Yang (Chinese Academy of Sciences)
- The first Research Steering Committee meeting took place on June 26, 2026.
Research program and activities
- Shanghai Center Projects:
- Research projects selected by the Research Steering Committee and conducted exclusively at the IMF Shanghai Center, with support from visiting scholars.
- Three projects are planned for 2026–27.
- Joint Research with IMF Headquarters:
- Collaborative research projects undertaken with economists from the Research Department and the Asia and Pacific Department.
- Individual Research and Conference Organization:
- Organization of conferences and research events, including the IMF Shanghai Center Event held in December 2026.
Academic seminars and events (selected 2026)
- January 29, 2026: Book launch on China-Africa Linkages by the IMF African Department (presented by Deputy Director Papa N’DIAYE and Deputy Division Chief Wenjie Chen from the IMF African Department).
- March 25, 2026: Roundtable on artificial intelligence convened by IMF Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas.
- March 27, 2026: IMF Shanghai Center webinar on the economic impact of the energy transition in Asia and the Pacific (presented by IMF Economists Alice Tianbo Zhang and Sneha Thube).
- April 2, 2026: IMF Shanghai Center discussion with Steve Barnett (HKU) and Qing Wang (Chongyang Investment) on current economic issues.
- June 24, 2026: IMF Shanghai Center-IIF workshop on global economic developments (presented by IIF Deputy Chief Economist Ashok Bhundia).
- June 26, 2026: IMF Shanghai Center closed-door roundtable on the macroeconomic impact of artificial intelligence with IMF DMD Bo Li.
- July 7, 2026: IMF Shanghai Center academic webinar on “The Impact of Pension Reform and Population Aging on Savings and Labor Supply” (paper presented by Hui He (IMF) and Lei Ning (Shanghai University of Finance and Economics)).
Management and senior leadership
- Johannes Wiegand, Director
- German national; Director of the IMF Shanghai Center since May 2025.
- IMF economist for more than 25 years.
- Previously led the IMF’s Regional Studies Division for Asia and the Pacific, and the Climate and Development Policy Division in the Strategy, Policy and Review Department.
- Held senior positions in the IMF’s Research and European Departments.
- Research and publications on structural transformation and growth in Asia and the Pacific, European monetary and economic history, currency regimes, dollarization, and global climate change mitigation policies.
- Prior to the IMF: taught at the London School of Economics and wrote commentaries for the Financial Times.
- Holds a PhD in economics from University College London and undergraduate degrees in economics and philosophy from the University of Munich.
- Cao Li, Deputy Director
- Chinese national; Deputy Director of the IMF Shanghai Center since September 2025.
- 28-year career including Deputy Director General at the People’s Bank of China, Vice President of the Boao Forum for Asia Academy, Accompanying Person to the BIS Board Director, and Advisor to the Executive Director for China at the IMF.
- Led teams producing flagship reports such as the Asian Economic Outlook and integration.
- Holds a Master’s degree in International Finance from the Tsinghua-PBC School of Finance at Tsinghua University and a Bachelor’s degree from Renmin University of China.
Research team (staff, appointments, and research focus)
- Thi Thanh Hao Dau, Economist
- Vietnamese national; holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Seoul National University.
- Research: international economics, firm dynamics, industrial policy, development economics; uses micro-level data and quantitative general equilibrium models.
- Prior internship at Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment.
- Holds a Master’s degree in International Commerce from Seoul National University and a Bachelor’s degree from the National Economics University, Vietnam.
- Justin Raymond Eloriaga, Economist
- Filipino national; joined July 2026.
- Prior: Central Bank Associate at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; Visiting Instructor at Emory University; Assistant Professorial Lecturer at De La Salle University.
- Research: macroeconomics, Bayesian time series econometrics, monetary economics.
- Holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Emory University (J. William Fulbright Scholarship), an M.A. in Economics from Emory University, and an M.Sc. in Economics and B.Sc. in Applied Economics, summa cum laude, from De La Salle University.
- Qing Peng, Economist
- Chinese national; joined June 2026.
- Research: macro-finance and empirical asset pricing with focus on monetary policy, sovereign bond markets, government policy events, and Chinese financial markets.
- Holds a PhD in finance from the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and undergraduate degrees in finance from the Central South University.
- Xinyi Wang, Economist
- Chinese national; joined June 2026.
- Research: fintech, financial markets, household finance, green finance, cryptocurrencies.
- Ph.D. in Finance from Peking University; B.S. in Data Science and B.A. in Economics from Peking University.
- Previous roles: Technical Advisor at the Bank for International Settlements; Doctoral Intern at the Hong Kong Institute for Monetary and Financial Research; Economic Analyst at the IMF Resident Representative Office in China.
- Ziqiao Zhang, Economist
- Chinese national; joined July 2026.
- Research: macro-finance, international macroeconomics, household finance, and the Chinese economy.
- Holds a PhD in Economics from Princeton University and a BA from Northwestern University.
- Xinrui Zhou, Economist
- Chinese national; joined July 2026.
- Research: macroeconomics and international trade; studies inflation dynamics, global supply chain, demographic change and household consumption.
- Holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Michigan and graduate and bachelor’s degrees from Renmin University of China.
- Zeqin Hou, Research Analyst
- Joined June 2026.
- Research: international trade, trade facilitation, applied econometrics.
- Prior: consultant at UNCTAD in Geneva (Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes).
- Holds a B.A. (summa cum laude) in Economics and a B.A. in History from the College of William & Mary, and an M.Phil. in Economic and Social History from the University of Oxford (Worcester College).
- Jiarui Li, Research Analyst
- Chinese national; joined June 2026.
- Prior: Research and Data Assistant in the Economics Department of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
- Holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Economics from Queen’s University.
- Hongchi Li, Research Analyst
- Chinese national; joined September 2026.
- Research: sovereign debt sustainability and econometric modeling.
- Prior: Research Analyst in the Fiscal Affairs Department, Fiscal Policy and Surveillance Division (FADFP) at IMF Headquarters.
- Holds master’s degrees in Economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Georgetown University, and a bachelor’s degree in Financial Economics from the Capital University of Economics and Business.
- Yangyang Zhao, Research Analyst
- Joined September 2026.
- Research: monetary economics, political economy, international trade.
- Holds a BA (Hons) in History, Politics and Economics from University College London and an MPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford.
Administration and operations staff
- Xiaona Zhou, Office Manager
- Joined January 2026.
- Prior: over ten years at IMF Headquarters in Washington D.C., including Institute for Capacity Development and Human Resources Department.
- Holds a Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor’s degree from George Washington University.
- Qingyang Luo, Administrative Coordinator
- Administrative coordinator since November 2025.
- Prior: United Nations offices on international trade and development; supported SME export training and market-access research.
- Holds a master’s degree in international law from the Graduate Institute Geneva and a bachelor’s degree in law from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
- Feng Qiu (Gloria), Administrative Coordinator
- Joined July 2026.
- Prior: Management Trainee at the Bank of Communications (2024–2026); internships at the International Maritime Organization; professional training at ITCILO and UNITAR.
- Holds a Master of Science in International Social and Public Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science and Fudan University, and a Bachelor of Management in Public Affairs Management from Zhejiang University.
- Mingrui Song (Isabel), Administrative Coordinator
- Joined July 2026.
- Prior: three years supporting the New Development Bank (NDB); experience in high-level visit support and coordination of diplomatic immunities and privileges.
- Holds a Master’s degree in Translation and Interpretation and a Bachelor's degree in Portuguese Language from Beijing Language and Culture University.
- Zhenghong (Frankie) Wu, Administrative Coordinator
- Joined January 2026.
- More than 12 years of experience in administrative operations, procurement, vendor management, facilities coordination, and IT support across multinational organizations in Europe and North America.
- Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology.
- Certified Senior Administrative Engineer and holds professional qualifications in accounting, statistics, psychological counseling, fire safety operations, and travel services.
Content in this bundle
- Seminar booklet
- Newsletter
References