## Press Release: IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn Announces Department Director Appointments

_IMF News, May 27, 2008_

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**Canonical URL:** [Press Release: IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn Announces Department Director Appointments](https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2015/09/14/01/49/pr08122)

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## Bibliographic details
- Published: May 27, 2008

---

### Overview
- Press Release No. 08/122
- Date: May 27, 2008
- Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn announced his intention to appoint four Department Directors:
  - Mr. Olivier Blanchard as Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department.
  - Ms. Antoinette Sayeh as Director of the African Department.
  - Mr. Andrew Tweedie as Director of the Finance Department.
  - Mr. Reza Moghadam as Director of the Policy Development and Review Department (PDR).
- Mr. Strauss-Kahn described the appointments as comprising "two external appointments to the Research and African Departments and two internal appointments to Finance and PDR."

### Olivier Blanchard — Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department
- Current role at announcement: Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- Profile highlights:
  - Held numerous policy and academic advisory positions worldwide.
  - Recognized academic in international macroeconomics with a wealth of publications.
  - Publications cover topics including global imbalances and current account adjustment, financial assets and bubbles, savings and investment behavior, labor market performance, fiscal and monetary policy decision-making processes, and the economics of transition economies.
- Mr. Strauss-Kahn: "Olivier Blanchard's impressive and policy-oriented publications span almost every field of relevance to the Fund..."
- Expected start date: September 1.

### Antoinette Sayeh — Director of the African Department
- Current role at announcement: Liberia's Finance Minister.
- Career background:
  - Led government's efforts to rebuild and reform Liberia's economy.
  - Previously held managerial and advisory-level positions at the World Bank, including Country Director for Benin, Niger and Togo, and Advisor to Mr. Sven Sandstrom, Managing Director of the World Bank.
- Mr. Strauss-Kahn: "Antoinette Sayeh brings to the Fund impressive leadership and communications skills, as well as highly relevant policymaking experience."
- Expected start date: July 7.

### Andrew Tweedie — Director of the Finance Department
- Background:
  - Member of the IMF Finance Department's senior management team for the last four years (as of the announcement).
  - Previously worked in several other Fund departments.
  - Served as an advisor to Deputy Managing Directors Shigemitsu Sugisaki and Takatoshi Kato.
- Contributions cited:
  - Played a pivotal role in the Fund's quota and voice reform and in the development of a new income model.
  - Demonstrated strategic thinking, capacity to innovate, and ability to work well with stakeholders.
- Expected start date: by September 1.

### Reza Moghadam — Director of the Policy Development and Review Department (PDR)
- Current role at announcement: Head of the Managing Director's office.
- Experience:
  - Worked across strategic, policy, country and administrative issues.
  - Contributed to the development of the Medium-Term Strategy and the Strategic Directions papers.
  - Held senior positions in the Asia and Pacific and in the European Departments of the Fund.
- Mr. Strauss-Kahn: "Reza Moghadam has a track record of outstanding performance in a number of highly demanding assignments across the Fund..."
- Expected start date: by September 1.

*Source: IMF press release dated May 27, 2008 (Press Release No. 08/122).*

---


## References

- [Benin and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/BEN/index.htm)
- [Liberia and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/LBR/index.htm)
- [Niger and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/NER/index.htm)
- [Togo and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/TGO/index.htm)
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- [PRESS CENTER](http://presscenter.imf.org/)
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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2015/09/14/01/49/pr08122_