Remembering Michael Mussa

IMF Blog, January 17, 2012

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Date of publication: January 17, 2012
Sad to hear about the death of Michael Mussa, the IMF's witty and trenchant former chief economist for nearly a decade, who resigned in 2001. He was 67.
Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the IMF, made the following statement.

The Wall Street Journal: said the former Chicago University professor did not shy away from controversy.
The Washington Post: said he helped shape the IMF's responses to financial crises in the 1990s.
Paul Krugman: said his most influential work was on currency regimes.
As a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute, Mussa was well known for his semiannual forecasts of global economic growth, conveyed with tough assessments, clarity of expression, and biting wit.

Served as the Fund's Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department from 1991 to 2001.
Member of the President's Council of Economic Advisers from 1986 to 1988.
Professor at:
- University of Chicago
- University of Rochester
- City University of New York
- London School of Economics
- Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland
The IMF's Research Department organized a conference in his honor called “MussaFest” to mark his 60th birthday in 2004.

Studied extensively the macroeconomic problems inherent to open economies.
Applied his knowledge to the design of economic policy and prevention of crises for developing and developed countries.
Contributed widely and influentially to economic theory and empirics.
His contributions inspired many economists in the academic world and at the IMF.

Source: IMF web page "Remembering Michael Mussa", January 17, 2012.