Story perspectives

Silvana Tenreyro Becomes IMF’s Second Female Chief Economist

7/8/2026

Summary

Story summary

Silvana Tenreyro will become International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief economist-research director on Aug. 10, succeeding Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas and becoming the IMF’s second female chief economist.
Tenreyro is James E. Meade Professor of Economics at London School of Economics (LSE) and holds a PhD and MA in economics from Harvard.
She has won the Yrjö Jahnsson Award, Bernhard Harms Prize and Birgit Grodal Award for research on economic volatility and monetary-policy transmission.

History

Historical Context

Gita Gopinath, an Indian-American economist, was appointed IMF chief economist in October 2018, becoming the fund’s first woman in that role and later its first deputy managing director in December 2021. Her rise follows decades of male-dominated leadership at the IMF, whose research department guides global policy. Her appointment has intensified calls for gender-balanced governance within the institution.

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Story summary

Silvana Tenreyro will become International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief economist-research director on Aug. 10, succeeding Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas and becoming the IMF’s second female chief economist.
Tenreyro is James E. Meade Professor of Economics at London School of Economics (LSE) and holds a PhD and MA in economics from Harvard.
She has won the Yrjö Jahnsson Award, Bernhard Harms Prize and Birgit Grodal Award for research on economic volatility and monetary-policy transmission.

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