IMF’s First Woman Chief Economist
Gita Gopinath always plays to win. One of the most accomplished economists of our time and a bona fide genius, she is the first woman ever to serve as the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Chief Economist. The feat, however, is nothing new in the life of this economic prodigy. In 1996, when she joined the University of Washington for PhD, her professor recommended her to Harvard and Princeton stating that she was the best student they had had in two decades. At Princeton, she was mentored by the best in the field. It was clear—Gopinath was born to make big strides in Economics. Nine years later in 2010, she was appointed as a tenured professor at Harvard University. In the decade to follow, Gopinath authored multiple books, research papers, and became the John Zwaanstra Professor at Harvard University for her outstanding contribution to International Studies. After joining the IMF in 2019, she took charge of the Research Department and helmed 13 releases of the World Economic Outlook. She studied the impact of COVID-19 on the global economy and co-authored the “Pandemic Paper” which gave insights on COVID-19 pandemic mitigation policies across the globe.
Gopinath’s glorious portfolio and unparalleled contribution in the field of Economics have won her several accolades. In 2021, she was named among the 25 Most Influential Women by Financial Times 2021. She is also the recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the highest honour conferred to Indians overseas by the Government of India.
Power Move
On January 21, 2022, Gita Gopinath became the First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the most powerful woman in the organisation to date. She is the first Indian to hold the position and is currently the second most powerful person at the IMF. As the First Deputy Managing Director, she now represents the Fund at multilateral forums, leads its work on surveillance and related policies. Gopinath has created an unparalleled legacy with her trailblazing career. Now, as she helms world economics with one of the most powerful posts at the IMF, we salute this invincible woman.
The POPxo Power Women List is an annual list that celebrates incredible Indian women from diverse domains who make power moves that have a real impact. With The POPxo Power Women List 2022, we celebrate 22 phenomenal women. To see the entire list, click here.
