Press Release No. 00/3

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Michel Camdessus has named Yusuke Horiguchi, a Japanese national, as Director of the Asia and Pacific Department, effective February 1, 2000. Mr. Horiguchi, who currently is the Associate Director of the department succeeds Hubert Neiss, who is retiring from the institution after 33 years of service.

Mr. Horiguchi joined the IMF in 1978 and has held various positions in the institution, including Deputy Director of the IMF's European II Department, which covers the Baltics and the former Soviet Union, and European I Department, which covers EU and the transition economies of Eastern Europe. He was appointed Associate Director of the Asia and Pacific department in December 1998.

Mr. Horiguchi studied at Keio University and holds a doctorate in economics from Rice University.

Mr. Horiguchi's department covers a wide range of countries in the Asia Pacific region, including Japan, China and India, as well as Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines, which have programs with IMF financial support.

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