IMF appoints Ilan Goldfjan, former head of the Central Bank of Brazil, as director of the Western Department

Goldfajn will assume his role as head of the Fund’s department in charge of relations with the member countries of the Americas on January 3, 2022; will arrive at Alexandre werner, whose withdrawal from the Fund was recently announced, as the financial organization clarified today in a press release.

“I am delighted that Ilan is joining our team as the new West Department Head. He has impressive experience in the private and public sectors and is highly respected as an academic, ”said Georgieva.

He added that “his proven track record as a policy maker, communicator, as well as his in-depth knowledge as an international financial framework and his familiarity with the work of the Fund, will be invaluable in helping our member countries in the region.”

Goldfajn, of dual nationality – Brazilian and Israeli – has been president of the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) since Dilma Rouseff’s term ended in May 2016, and continued until February 2019.

During his tenure at the BCB, “he oversaw the implementation of important regulatory changes that opened the door to new players in the financial services sector and fostered innovation and digitization, and fostered the growth of fintech companies which has had a positive impact on the sector. Brazilian financial institution, ”the IMF said.

In 2017, Goldfajn was voted Central Banker of the Year by “The Banker” magazine and, the following year, he was named Best Central Banker by “Global Finance” magazine.

The experience of the new head of the Fund during his stint in the private sector includes positions as chief economist and partner of Itaú Unibanco, founding partner of Ciano Investimentos, and partner and economist of Gávea Investimentos, three financial institutions of foreground in Brazil.

Most recently, he was Chairman of the Advisory Board of Credit Suisse Brazil and also worked as a consultant for several global financial organizations, including the World Bank, the United Nations and the IMF itself.

Finally, in the academic field, Goldfajn was professor of economics at several universities in Brazil and the United States.

His educational record shows a doctorate in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a master’s degree in economics from the Pontifíca Universidade Católica and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Federal University, both in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“I am very happy that Ilan is coming back to us at this crucial time, as we can benefit from his exceptional experience as we continue to help countries in the region build more resilient and inclusive economies,” Georgieva concluded, recalling that Goldfajn had served as an IMF economist between 1996 and 1999.