IMF Managing Director Köhler Proposes Mark Allen as Director of the IMF's Policy Development and Review Department and Leslie Lipschitz as Director of the IMF Institute

Horst Köhler, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has notified the IMF Executive Board of his intention to appoint Mark Allen to the position of Director of the IMF's Policy Development and Review Department, and Leslie Lipschitz to the position of Director of the IMF Institute. Mr. Allen will succeed Timothy Geithner, who has taken the position of President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (see Press Release No. 03/170). Mr. Lipschitz will succeed Mohsin Khan, who was earlier appointed Director of the IMF's Middle East and Central Asia Department (see Press Release No. 03/130). Mr. Allen and Mr. Lipschitz are both currently Deputy Directors in the Policy Development and Review Department.

In making the announcements, Mr. Köhler said:

"Mark Allen is an outstanding economist with broad policy and country experience in several different departments of the Fund. With his strong analytical abilities, significant insights into the work and policies of the Fund, and a proven record of strong leadership and interpersonal skills, Mr. Allen is well prepared to take on this challenging assignment. In my view, his experience, as well as his intellectual independence, makes him eminently qualified to build upon our existing policy framework and develop new ideas on how to further adapt our policy agenda in an ever changing global environment. I look forward to working with Mr. Allen in his new capacity.

"Leslie Lipschitz, also an outstanding economist, brings to the position familiarity with the Fund's policies, mandates, and operating procedures. With his intellectual fire-power and energy, Mr. Lipschitz will be an effective and experienced communicator who can effectively interact both within the Fund and with member countries to take the important work of the IMF Institute forward. His experience provides an excellent basis to transmit the work of the Fund to its training and capacity building activities and to remain a conduit of fresh ideas to the Fund. I welcome Mr. Lipschitz to his new position," Mr. Köhler said.

Mr. Allen, 55, who studied at the Universities of Cambridge and Yale, joined the IMF in 1974. He has worked in the former Exchange and Trade Relations Department, the African Department, the IMF's Geneva Office, and the Policy Development and Review Department, and has been resident representative in Poland and Hungary.

Mr. Lipschitz, 52, a graduate of the University of Cape Town, the London School of Economics, and the University of London, joined the IMF in 1974. He has worked on the countries of North America, Asia, Africa and Europe, and in the Policy Development and Review Department. He has been a guest scholar at the Brookings Institution and taught at the School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University.