The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday appointed Gita Gopinath as its chief economist to replace Maurice Obstfeld, who will leave at the end of this year.
Gopinath currently serves as the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University, IMF said in a statement.
“Gita is one of the world’s outstanding economists, with impeccable academic credentials, a proven track record of intellectual leadership, and extensive international experience,” IMF managing director Christine Lagarde said. “All this makes her exceptionally well-placed to lead our Research Department at this important juncture.”
Gopinath is co-editor of the American Economic Review and co-director of the International Finance and Macroeconomics Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research. She is co-editor of the current Handbook of International Economics with former IMF economic counsellor Kenneth Rogoff.
She has authored about 40 research articles on exchange rates, trade and investment, international financial crises, monetary policy, debt, and emerging market crises, the IMF said.
Gopinath was born and grew up in India. She is now a US citizen and an overseas citizen of India. She received her PhD in economics from Princeton University in 2001 after earning a BA from the University of Delhi and MA degrees from both the Delhi School of Economics and University of Washington.
She joined the University of Chicago in 2001 as an assistant professor before moving to Harvard in 2005. She became a tenured professor at Harvard in 2010.