Kristalina Georgieva

Kristalina Georgieva was born on August 13, 1953. She is a prominent figure in the field of economics and international relations.

Kristalina Georgieva's participation in a 1990 Seminar session in Salzburg triggered a significant change in her professional life, defining her future path. It led to her decision to leave Bulgaria and attend MIT in the US, ultimately shaping her 20-year career at the World Bank.

In 1993, Kristalina Georgieva began her 17-year-long first stint at the World Bank as an environmental economist. She later became the director of the environment department in 2000.

In 1998, Kristalina Georgieva was a student, laying the foundation for her future career.

In 2008, Kristalina Georgieva was appointed as Vice President and Corporate Secretary at the World Bank, where she played a crucial role as the interlocutor between the World Bank Group’s senior management, its Board of Directors, and its shareholder countries.

After the withdrawal of the former Bulgarian nominee, Rumiana Jeleva, Kristalina Georgieva was proposed as the new candidate for the post of European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso expressed his approval of Georgieva, citing her solid international experience and knowledge.

During the confirmation hearing at the European Parliament, Kristalina Georgieva emphasized the priority of addressing the situation in Haiti and the need to improve coordination within the EU. Her performance received positive feedback from MEPs, with many praising her honesty, knowledge, and peaceful manner.

On February 9, 2010, Kristalina was confirmed for the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management position. In this post, she managed one of the world’s most significant humanitarian aid budgets supported by the EU.

In May 2014, Kristalina Georgieva coordinated post-disaster assistance for the Southeast Europe floods, and assisted in preparing Serbia's request for aid amounting to as much as 1 billion euros ($1.4 billion) annually.

In 2014, Kristalina Georgieva was appointed as the Vice-President for Budget and Human Resources in the Juncker Commission, after initially being considered for the post of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. She became the most senior technocrat in the commission, overseeing a large staff and reporting on the EU budget.

Ms. Georgieva played a key role in shaping the agenda of the European Union by overseeing the EU's budget and staff, as well as leading the response to the Euro Area debt crisis and the 2015 refugee crisis.

In May 2015, Kristalina Georgieva was appointed as co-chair of the High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The panel aimed to prepare recommendations for the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit.

On September 27, 2016, Kristalina Georgieva was nominated by the Government of Bulgaria for the post of United Nations Secretary-General. She was ranked 8th out of 10 candidates for the position.

The World Bank announced that Kristalina Georgieva would become the first CEO of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association starting on 2 January 2017.

On January 2, 2017, Kristalina Georgieva assumed the role of the first CEO of the World Bank. She made history by becoming the first person to hold this position.

Kristalina Georgieva was chosen for the position of Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund on September 25, 2019, and she has been serving in this role since October 1, 2019.

On September 29, 2019, Kristalina Georgieva was appointed as the next managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), succeeding Christine Lagarde. She became the first person from an emerging economy to serve in this position, and her term started on October 1, 2019, lasting for five years. This appointment broke the tradition of IMF candidates not being older than 65 at the start of their term, which was waived for Georgieva.

On October 1, 2019, she commenced her term as the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, with a tenure of five years ahead.

Kristalina Georgieva, the head of the International Monetary Fund, has warned about the possibility of a severe global recession and emphasized the need for a bold economic response. She urged member states to increase their spending to combat the virus and also facilitated access to the IMF's emergency fund.

In July 2021, Kristalina Georgieva joined the Multilateral Leaders Task Force on COVID-19 Vaccines, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics for Developing Countries, co-chaired by Tedros Adhanom and David Malpass. This initiative aimed to address the global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, Kristalina Georgieva was awarded by Forbes as one of the 50 over 50 women leading the way throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This recognition highlighted her continued leadership and influence in the region.

Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, is drawing from her personal story of growing up under communism to warn about the potential consequences of a new era of rival blocs and global fracture. She fears that U.S.-China tensions and the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could lead to a permanent global divide, resulting in significant economic losses and diminished individual freedoms.

On October 11, 2023, a fourth ministerial roundtable discussion was held to provide support to Ukraine. The specific topics discussed during the roundtable are not provided.

An event focusing on reform priorities for tackling debt took place on October 12, 2023. The specific details of the reform priorities are not mentioned.

The 2023 Annual Meetings Plenary occurred on October 13, 2023. Further details about the event are not provided.

An upcoming event featuring Kristalina Georgieva scheduled for March 4th, 2024, in America/New_York.