Press Release No. 03/130
July 30, 2003 |
International Monetary Fund
700 19th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20431 USA |
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IMF Managing Director Horst Köhler
Announces Changes in Organization of IMF Area Departments
Horst Köhler, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF),
has announced a consolidation in the number of the Fund's area departments.
The organizational changes, which are intended to be implemented by
November 1, 2003, follow an internal review of how best to structure and
manage the Fund's area departments, in particular, in light of the changing
nature of the work of the European II Department (EU2). This department was
created in 1992 with the task of assisting the Baltics, Russia and other
countries of the former Soviet Union with the process of economic transition
and integration into the global economy. Given the progress of the
transition process and the prospect of European Union accession for a number
of transition economies, EU2 will be dissolved, reducing the number of area
departments from six to five.
Seven countries in EU2 will move to the European I Department, which will
be renamed as the European Department (EUR). The other eight EU2 countries
will move to the Middle Eastern Department (MED), which will be renamed as
the Middle East and Central Asia Department (MCD)1.
Michael Deppler, who currently heads EU1, will be director of EUR.
Initially, George Abed, who heads MED, will be director of MCD. From
September 1, Mohsin Khan, currently Director of the IMF Institute, will move
to MED as Associate Director, and will assume the title of Director, MCD,
upon Mr. Abed's retirement in December. John Odling-Smee, who has led EU2
since its inception, has announced his intention to retire in early 2004.
The country composition of the IMF's other three area departments—the
African Department, the Asia and Pacific Department, and the Western
Hemisphere Department—will not change.
Announcing the moves, Mr. Köhler said: "The changes in the structure of
area departments will ensure the IMF continues to provide the best possible
service to our membership."
Commenting on the appointments, he said, "George Abed has brought energy
and vision to the position of Director of the Middle East Department, during
a particularly tumultuous time for the region. Mohsin Khan possesses the
strong managerial skills, intellectual leadership, and experience needed to
handle this difficult and challenging assignment. Michael Deppler brings to
the task of heading the European Department proven managerial abilities and
experience of a broad range of countries, including transition economies."
In a tribute to the contribution of Mr. Odling-Smee, Mr. Köhler said, "I
would like to record management's true appreciation of John Odling-Smee's
excellent service to the Fund and to the international community."
The appointment of a successor to Mr. Khan as Director of the IMF
Institute has yet to be announced. No staff positions will be lost as a
result of the organizational changes, which are expected to leave IMF
administrative costs unchanged.
The review that has led to these changes was the work of a staff task
force, led by Special Advisor to the Managing Director, Jack Boorman, which
Mr. Köhler asked to examine the structure of area departments and make
recommendations for possible improvements.
Biographical Notes
George Abed, 64, a Jordanian national, was appointed Director of MED on
July 1, 2002, after a career of more than 20 years at the IMF, including as
Deputy Director in the Fiscal Affairs Department. He holds a doctorate in
economics from the University of California at Berkeley, where he also
taught before joining the Fund. He took leave from the Fund between 1985 and
1993 to head a Geneva-based humanitarian and development assistance
foundation active in the Middle East. Mr. Abed has written widely on Middle
East economic issues, fiscal policy and taxation, trade, energy economics,
and the economics of corruption.
Michael Deppler, 60, a U.S. national, was educated at Brown University
and Georgetown University, where he received his Ph.D. in Economics in 1976.
Mr. Deppler joined the IMF as an economist in 1971. He worked in the
Research and European Departments, until his appointment as Deputy Director
of the European I Department in 1991.
Mohsin Khan, 56, from Pakistan, has been Director of the IMF Institute
since December 1996. Mr. Khan holds a B.A. from Punjab University in
Pakistan, a B.Sc. in economics from the London School of Economics, an M.A.
from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics.
He joined the IMF in 1972 as an Economist in the Financial Studies Division
of the Research Department. He subsequently held increasingly senior
positions in the Research Department, including Advisor, Assistant Director,
and Senior Advisor. He was Deputy Director of the Research Department before
being appointed Director of the IMF Institute. In his career at the IMF, Mr.
Khan has been involved in operations in a number of countries, including
Chile, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, and Venezuela. He has
published widely on macroeconomic and monetary policies in developing
countries, economic growth, international trade and finance, Islamic
banking, and IMF programs.
John Odling-Smee, 60, who is British, has been Director of the European
II Department of the IMF since the department was created on January 2,
1992. He has an MA in economics from Cambridge University, and taught
economics at Cambridge and Oxford Universities and the London School of
Economics in 1964-70 and 1972-75. He held various positions in the UK
Cabinet Office and Treasury in 1975-80 and 1983-90, including that of Deputy
Chief Economic Advisor in 1989-90. He joined the IMF staff for two years in
1981-82, and then rejoined in 1990 in the European Department, where he
worked on Israel, Spain, the USSR and Yugoslavia. As Director of European II
Department, he has responsibility for the IMF's work in the Baltic and CIS
states.
1 EU1 countries are Albania,
Aruba, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, France,
Former Yugoslavia of Macedonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia & Montenegro, Slovak Republic,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom. The new
European Department will also include the following countries from the
current EU2 Department: Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia
and Ukraine.
MED countries are Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran,
Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United
Arab Emirates, Republic of Yemen. The new MCD will also include: Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
and Uzbekistan.
IMF EXTERNAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
Public Affairs: 202-623-7300 - Fax: 202-623-6278
Media Relations: 202-623-7100 - Fax: 202-623-6772
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