## Kristalina Georgieva

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Kristalina Georgieva](https://www.imf.org/en/about/senior-officials/bios/kristalina-georgieva)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/about/senior-officials/bios/kristalina-georgieva/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/about/senior-officials/bios/kristalina-georgieva/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/about/senior-officials/bios/kristalina-georgieva/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Published: April 9, 2026

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### Current role and tenure
- Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund since October 1, 2019.
- Appointed for a second term by the IMF’s Executive Board in April 2024; second term started on October 1, 2024.

### IMF leadership and major actions under Ms. Georgieva
- Led the IMF’s response to multiple global shocks, including the pandemic, several wars and conflicts, and the cost-of-living crisis.
- IMF provided around $1 trillion in liquidity and reserves at affordable cost to members, through balance-of-payments support to nearly 100 countries and an SDR allocation.
- Delivered debt service relief to the IMF’s poorest members.
- Engaged membership to secure IMF resourcing improvements:
  - Secured Board of Governors’ approval for an equiproportional 50 percent increase in member quota shares.
  - Advanced funding reforms to the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust to enable permanently higher concessional lending for the IMF’s poorest members.
  - Oversaw the addition of a third Sub-Saharan African Chair to the IMF’s Executive Board in 2024.
- Strengthened resilience-building for member countries through intensified surveillance, policy advice, additional financing, and stepped-up capacity development.
- Initiatives and reforms:
  - Creation of the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable and other initiatives with the World Bank to make debt restructuring processes more timely and predictable.
  - Reforms to better align IMF lending instruments with member country needs and to lower lending costs.

### Prior public sector and international roles
- CEO of the World Bank from January 2017 to September 2019; also served as Interim President.
  - Instrumental in securing a historic $13 billion capital increase for the World Bank.
- European Union roles:
  - Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response — strengthened the EU’s humanitarian response and managed one of the world’s largest humanitarian aid budgets.
  - Vice President for Budget and Human Resources — oversaw the EU’s €161 billion ($175 billion) budget and 33,000 staff; played an important role in the EU response to the Euro Area debt crisis and the 2015 refugee crisis.
- World Bank career beginning in 1993, rising to Vice President and Corporate Secretary in 2008, serving as interlocutor between senior management, Board of Directors, and shareholder countries.

### Academic background and publications
- Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1953.
- Holds a Ph.D in Economic Science and an M.A. in Political Economy and Sociology from the University of National and World Economy, Sofia.
- Associate Professor at the University of National and World Economy between 1977 and 1993.
- Visiting fellow at the London School of Economics and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- Authored and co-authored over 100 publications on economic policy, including textbooks on macro- and microeconomics.

### Awards, honors, and recognitions
- Received the Ugo La Malfa Award in 2024 for her contribution to international cooperation.
- Received the Atlantic Council’s Distinguished International Leadership Award.
- Featured on TIME’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
- Appeared on Forbes and Barron’s lists of most influential women in U.S. finance.
- Named “European of the Year” and “Commissioner of the Year” by European Voice in 2010.

*Source: https://www.imf.org/en/about/senior-officials/bios/kristalina-georgieva*

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## Content in this bundle

- **md-contract-september-25-2019**
  - [md-contract-september-25-2019 (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/news/press-release/2019/md-contract-september-25-2019.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [md-contract-september-25-2019 (PDF)](/-/media/files/news/press-release/2019/md-contract-september-25-2019.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

---

## References

- [IMF Senior Officials](https://www.imf.org/en/About/senior-officials)
- [Second Term: Terms of Appointment](https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/09/27/terms-of-appointment-of-kristalina-georgieva-as-managing-director-of-the-international-monetary-fund)
- [Statement by Kristalina Georgieva on her Second Term as IMF Managing Director](https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2024/04/12/pr24114-statement-by-kristalina-georgieva-on-her-second-term-as-imf-managing-director)
- [IMF Executive Board Selects Kristalina Georgieva to Serve a Second Term as Managing Director](https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2024/04/12/pr24113-imf-executive-board-selects-kristalina-georgieva-to-serve-a-second-term-as-managing-director)
- [Statement by Kristalina Georgieva on Her Selection as IMF Managing Director](https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2019/09/25/pr19352-statement-by-kristalina-georgieva-on-her-selection-as-imf-managing-director)
- [Factsheet: Selection Process for IMF Managing Director](https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Managing-Director-Selection-Process)
- [Frequently Asked Questions on Managing Director (MD) Selection](https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Sheets/2022/MD-selection-process/qandas)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/about/senior-officials/bios/kristalina-georgieva_