About The International Monetary Fund

Adolfo Barajas currently holds the position of Senior Economist in the Institute for Capacity Development at the International Monetary Fund, where he specializes in teaching financial sector issues and macroeconomics. His distinguished career spans multiple roles within the IMF, including significant contributions to both the Western Hemisphere and Middle East and Central Asia departments. Prior to his IMF tenure, he gained valuable experience as a researcher at Colombia's central bank and at Fedesarrollo, a prestigious private think tank. His academic foundation combines a B.A. in economics from Universidad de los Andes with a Ph.D. from Stanford University. Throughout his career, Barajas has demonstrated expertise in various economic areas, including financial sector development, monetary policy, exchange rate regimes, dollarization, and financial inclusion, making him a respected voice in international economic policy and education.

Evan Tanner currently serves as a Senior Economist in the Asia Division of the IMF's Institute for Capacity Development, where he has made significant contributions to global economic education and policy development. His impressive career encompasses extensive experience across multiple regions including Latin America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. As a key figure at the IMF, he has designed and delivered highly sought-after training courses for economists worldwide focused on public policy. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and he has held teaching positions at prestigious institutions including the University of Miami, Thunderbird School of Global Management, and UCLA. Before joining the IMF, where he developed economic forecasting tools and policy evaluation frameworks in the Research Department, Tanner established himself as a prolific scholar with numerous publications in leading economic journals. His research has significantly contributed to various areas of economic policy, including fiscal sustainability, monetary policy, exchange market pressure, and public debt management

Seung Mo Choi currently serves as an Economist in the European Department of the International Monetary Fund, bringing extensive expertise in finance, macroeconomic policies, and economic growth. His professional journey includes valuable experience at the IMF's Institute for Capacity Development and a teaching position at Washington State University's School of Economic Sciences. His academic credentials combine a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago (2008) with a B.A. in economics from Seoul National University (1999). Choi has made significant contributions to economic literature, with his research being published in prestigious publications including the International Economic Review. His work at the IMF has included significant contributions to research on macroprudential policies and their effects on European house prices, demonstrating his expertise in analyzing complex economic policies and their market impacts

Sam Ouliaris has established himself as a prominent figure in international economics, serving as the former Chief of the Internal Training Unit at the IMF's Institute for Capacity Development, where he was responsible for training IMF economist staff. His extensive career includes significant roles in the IMF's Research Department and Western Hemisphere Department, complemented by his academic position as a Professor of Economics at the National University of Singapore prior to 2011. With a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale University specializing in econometrics and macroeconomics, Ouliaris has made substantial contributions to economic literature, particularly in quantitative macroeconomic modeling and structural vector autoregressions. His expertise has been sought by various Asian ministries, including consultancy work for the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Bank Negara Malaysia. As an Australian national, he has authored significant publications on econometric methodology and macroeconomic forecasting, including a notable book on Quantitative Macroeconomic Modeling with Structural Vector Autoregressions. His teaching portfolio at the IMF has included comprehensive courses on macroeconomic forecasting, financial programming, and policy analysis, making him a key figure in building capacity among international economists and policymakers

The Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) of the International Monetary Fund, established in 1964, stands as a cornerstone of global fiscal expertise and capacity development, delivering comprehensive training and technical assistance across five crucial areas: public financial management, tax policy, revenue administration, expenditure policy, and macro-fiscal frameworks. The department's expert staff provides specialized courses including Fiscal Analysis and Forecasting (FAF) and Understanding, Assessing and Managing Fiscal Risks (UAMFR), serving approximately 150 member countries annually

Augustus J. Panton serves as an Economist in the Multilateral Surveillance Division of the IMF's Research Department, bringing extensive expertise in monetary economics, international macroeconomics, and macro-financial climate risks. His distinguished career includes notable achievements in academia and public service, having earned multiple teaching excellence awards including the ANU Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Education while serving as an Associate Lecturer at the Australian National University. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Economics from the Australian National University, where his thesis focused on climatic disruptions and monetary policy, a Master's in International Economics and Finance from the University of Queensland, and a Master's in Finance from Osmania University. Prior to his IMF role, he held significant positions in Liberia as an economist at the Central Bank and senior economist at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, while also serving as a consultant for the Brookings Institution and as an Adam Smith Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. His teaching experience encompasses graduate and undergraduate courses in macroeconomics, microeconomics, and financial economics at the Australian National University, where he demonstrated exceptional teaching ability recognized through multiple awards

Irene Yackovlev serves as a Senior Economist at the International Monetary Fund, where she leads the Communications Department matrix team overseeing strategy and policy communications. Her significant contributions include co-authoring the IMF's climate strategy and leading the technical team responsible for implementing the Strategy for IMF Engagement on Social Spending. With extensive experience in economic reform programs, she has provided crucial advisory support to countries like Ecuador during the pandemic and Portugal during the global financial crisis. Her work in the Strategy, Policy and Review Department has been instrumental in advancing the IMF's initiatives on climate change, social spending, and gender equality. A Venezuelan national, Yackovlev coordinates the IMF's involvement with the G20 Compact with Africa and contributes to policy development for small developing states. Her academic credentials include a B.A. and M.A. from Stanford University, with additional doctoral studies at MIT. Her expertise spans multiple areas of international economic policy, making her a key figure in shaping the IMF's approach to emerging global challenges

James Roaf currently serves as an Assistant Director in the IMF's Fiscal Affairs Department, where he has taken on the crucial role of Climate Change Policy Coordinator since 2020. In this position, he leads a specialized team of experts and oversees an expanding portfolio of work focused on developing fiscal policies to address climate change challenges. His distinguished career at the IMF includes significant roles as mission chief for both Russia and Serbia, where he helped shape economic policies and reforms. Roaf has been instrumental in crafting policy responses to major global economic challenges, including the global financial crisis and the eurozone crisis. His expertise extends to developing policies for reserve adequacy and sovereign debt restructuring, and he has worked on critical crisis cases in Russia, Argentina, and Greece. Before joining the IMF, he gained valuable experience at the UK Treasury, and his IMF career has included important overseas assignments in Poland and Bulgaria. Under his leadership, the IMF has significantly expanded its engagement on climate-related policy challenges, integrating climate considerations into the Fund's core activities and country consultations

Dimitre Milkov serves as an economist in the Institute for Capacity Development at the International Monetary Fund, bringing extensive expertise in international economics, particularly in monetary policy for developing countries and debt sustainability. A Bulgarian national, Milkov holds a Ph.D. in economics from Northwestern University in the United States. His career at the IMF began in 2007 and has included significant work in the African Department, where he participated in missions to Kenya and Cameroon. Prior to joining the IMF, Milkov gained valuable experience at the World Bank in Washington, DC, focusing on debt sustainability issues in low-income countries. His research portfolio encompasses a wide range of topics in international economics, with a particular emphasis on monetary policy challenges in developing economies and the complex issues surrounding debt sustainability. Milkov's academic background and practical experience in both the IMF and World Bank position him as a key contributor to the IMF's capacity development efforts and policy research in international economics.

Ralph Chami currently serves as Assistant Director at the International Monetary Fund, where he has made significant contributions across multiple roles during his 25-year tenure. His current focus involves pioneering work on climate change and biodiversity conservation, developing innovative models for valuing natural capital and ecosystem services. As former Assistant Director in the Institute for Capacity Development, he led the transformation of IMF's internal and external training programs. His distinguished career includes serving as Division Chief overseeing fragile states in the Middle East and Central Asia Department, where he earned the 2014 IMF Operational Excellence Award for his work on Libya. Before joining the IMF in 1999, he was a faculty member at the University of Notre Dame's Department of Finance. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Economics from Johns Hopkins University, an MBA from the University of Kansas, and a BS from the American University of Beirut. Beyond his economic expertise, Chami has co-founded Blue Green Future and Rebalance Earth, organizations dedicated to developing nature-positive market solutions. His innovative work on natural capital valuation has been featured at TED2022 and in major international media outlets

Sami Ben Naceur currently serves as the Deputy Division Chief of the African Division at the IMF's Institute for Capacity Development, bringing extensive expertise in macroeconomics and financial policy. His impressive career at the IMF includes serving as Chief of Internal Economic Training Unit, where he managed approximately 100 annual events for IMF economists, and as Deputy Director of the IMF-Middle East Center for Economics and Finance in Kuwait. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Finance from Paris Sorbonne University, a diploma from INSEEC School of Business and Economics, and an MSc. in Management Science from the University of Tunis

Dyna Heng currently serves as an Economist at the IMF's Institute of Capacity Development, bringing extensive expertise in financial markets and capital flow management. His career at the IMF has included significant work in the Monetary and Capital Market Department, where he contributed to the Global Financial Stability Reports and Japan's Financial Sector Assessment Program. As a former desk economist in the Western Hemisphere Department, he gained valuable experience in regional economic analysis. Before joining the IMF, Heng worked as a financial sector specialist at the World Bank, building a strong foundation in international financial development. His research portfolio focuses on critical areas including capital flow management, financial interconnectedness, and financial sector development. With a Ph.D. in Economics from the Australian National University, Heng combines academic rigor with practical experience in global financial markets, making him a valuable contributor to the IMF's capacity development initiatives

Mikhail Pranovich currently serves as an Economist in the European and Middle Eastern Division of the IMF's Institute of Capacity Development, bringing extensive expertise in monetary policy and econometrics. A Belarusian national with a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Cambridge, his career encompasses significant roles in both international and national institutions. Prior to his current position, he worked as an Economist at the Joint Vienna Institute and led the Monetary Analysis and Forecasting Division at the National Bank of Belarus. His experience includes valuable work at the IMF's Resident Representative Office in Minsk and the Regional IMF Office for Central and Eastern Europe in Warsaw. Pranovich's research interests and expertise focus on monetary policy, macro-econometrics, financial econometrics, and finance, making him a key contributor to the IMF's capacity development initiatives in Europe and the Middle East

Annette Chooi brings over three decades of expertise in revenue administration and tax policy to her role as an IMF Revenue Administration Expert. Her extensive career includes serving as a senior executive at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), where she managed diverse aspects of revenue administration including corporate governance, compliance management, and the implementation of policy reforms. For more than ten years, she has contributed her expertise to the IMF's Fiscal Affairs Department as a short-term expert, while also collaborating with other development agencies. Her comprehensive experience encompasses organizational reforms, operational improvements, and policy implementation in tax administration. Beyond her public service, Chooi has held board positions in both non-profit and commercial organizations, primarily in the financial services sector. Her academic credentials include advanced degrees in science and commerce from the University of Adelaide and Flinders University. Her work at the IMF includes providing technical assistance and training in revenue administration to member countries, with particular focus on strengthening tax administration systems and improving compliance management frameworks.

Jonathan Leigh Pemberton brings over three decades of comprehensive tax administration expertise, shaped by his 30-year tenure at the UK Tax Administration (HMRC) where he held multiple senior positions overseeing organizational structure, debt collection, capital taxes, tax compliance, and international tax policy. His career evolved significantly when he led the secretariat to the Forum on Tax Administration at the OECD in Paris for four years, where he contributed to developing global tax administration standards and best practices. Since 2015, he has worked as a short-term expert for both the IMF and World Bank, providing technical assistance to over 20 countries. His current role combines practical consulting with academic work at the Global Tax Policy Center at Vienna University of Economics and Business, where he contributes to tax policy research and publications. His expertise spans the complete spectrum of tax administration, from organizational design to international tax policy, making him a valued advisor in global tax reform initiatives

Wouter Bossu currently serves as Senior Counsel in the Legal Department of the International Monetary Fund, where he brings extensive expertise in central banking law, financial markets regulation, and financial stability frameworks. A Belgian national, his academic credentials include degrees in law from Leuven and business administration from Louvain-la-Neuve. Before joining the IMF, he gained valuable experience working in the legal departments of both the Belgian Central Bank and the European Central Bank, developing a deep understanding of monetary and financial law. His specialized knowledge encompasses the legal frameworks governing central banking operations, financial market regulations, and financial stability mechanisms. At the IMF, he plays a crucial role in providing legal advice on matters related to monetary policy, financial sector regulation, and central bank operations, while also contributing to the development of legal frameworks that support financial stability across IMF member countries.

Hans Weenink currently serves as Senior Counsel in the Legal Department of the International Monetary Fund, specializing in central bank governance, payment system oversight, and European law. His extensive career in financial law includes a significant role as Deputy Head of the Financial Law Division at the European Central Bank's Legal Department, where he focused on governance, institutional law, monetary policy, payment systems, and EU competition law. Before joining the IMF, he gained valuable experience at De Nederlandsche Bank working on governance issues and the legal preparation for the European Monetary Union. His career path also includes service at the European Commission as a competition lawyer and early experience at the Dutch Ministry of Finance. Weenink's academic foundation was established at the University of Utrecht, where he studied law. His comprehensive expertise in European financial law and central banking makes him a key figure in shaping international financial legal frameworks and policy development

Catalina Margulis currently serves as consulting counsel in the central bank team of the Financial and Fiscal Law unit at the IMF's Legal Department, bringing specialized expertise in central bank governance and legal frameworks. On secondment from the Central Bank of Chile, she provides critical assessments and technical advice on legal structures, governance mechanisms, and autonomy of central banks worldwide. Her impressive academic credentials include a Master of Law degree from Harvard Law School, a Diploma in Public Economic Law from Universidad de Chile, and a Law Degree from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. As a Chilean national, she combines her international legal education with practical experience in central banking, making her a valuable asset in the IMF's efforts to strengthen financial institutions globally. Her work focuses on enhancing central bank operations through robust legal frameworks and governance structures, contributing significantly to the IMF's mission of promoting financial stability and effective monetary policy implementation

Ian Parry serves as the Principal Environmental Fiscal Policy Expert in the IMF's Fiscal Affairs Department, where he has established himself as a leading voice in environmental economics and carbon pricing policy since 2010. Prior to joining the IMF, he held the prestigious Allen Kneese Chair in Environmental Economics at Resources for the Future. With a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago, Parry has dedicated his career to developing analytical models that quantify the economic impacts of environmental, energy, and transportation policies. His research portfolio includes over 50 published papers in professional journals and several influential books, including "Fiscal Policy to Mitigate Climate Change" and "Getting Energy Prices Right: From Principle to Practice

Simon Black serves as a Climate Economist in the Fiscal Affairs Department at the International Monetary Fund, where he specializes in climate change mitigation, carbon pricing, and environmental taxation. His distinguished career includes significant roles as a climate economist at the World Bank and the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office, where he notably served on the UK delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and helped negotiate the Paris Agreement in 2014-15. His academic credentials include a Master's in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics and a Master's in International Development (MPA/ID) from Harvard University, where he was awarded the Frank Knox Fellowship. His expertise spans environmental economics, financial sector advisory, and economic diplomacy, and he has advised numerous governments on their emissions reduction strategies. At the IMF, he continues to shape climate policy and environmental taxation frameworks, contributing to global efforts to address climate change through economic policy instruments.