IMF advocates for established boundaries, rather than further expansion.
In a surprising move, Gita Gopinath, the First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has announced her resignation, effective at the end of August 2025. The Indian-born economist, who has been serving at the IMF for over six years, first as chief economist and then as deputy managing director, is returning to her position at Harvard University.
Born in India, Gopinath became a naturalised American citizen. During her tenure at the IMF, she played a significant role in shaping the organisation's policies and strategies. Her departure from the IMF offers an opportunity for the United States, as the largest shareholder, to reaffirm the original mandate of the IMF, which is to promote international monetary cooperation, exchange stability, and facilitate the balanced growth of the world economy.
The current deputy managing director role at the IMF following Gopinath's resignation has not yet been officially announced or named as of late July 2025. It remains to be seen who will succeed Gopinath in this crucial role.
It is worth noting that the power of an American president is reflected in appointments at the IMF, and this opportunity is presented to Donald Trump. As the current president, Trump has the authority to nominate and appoint the next deputy managing director of the IMF.
Interestingly, Gopinath is not leaving the world of academia. Instead, she is focusing more on her research at Harvard University, where she has been a professor of economics since 2005. The reader is advised to adjust their browser settings to enable JavaScript to access the latest updates on this story and other news from NZZ.ch.
[References] [1] NZZ.ch. (2025, July 28). Gita Gopinath steps down as deputy managing director of the IMF. Retrieved from https://www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/gita-gopinath-tritt-als-erstede-stelleninhaberin-des-imf-zu-back-1.17272463 [2] Harvard University. (n.d.). Gita Gopinath. Retrieved from https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/gita-gopinath/ [3] International Monetary Fund. (n.d.). Gita Gopinath. Retrieved from https://www.imf.org/external/about/gov/organization/bios/gopinath.htm [4] The White House. (n.d.). Donald J. Trump. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-actions-donald-j-trump/ [5] The New York Times. (2025, July 28). Gita Gopinath to Step Down as Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/business/international/gita-gopinath-imf.html
To fill the vacancy left by Gita Gopinath's resignation as Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the American President, Donald Trump, can apply for the nomination and appointment process. In her new role, Gopinath will focus on her finance-related research at Harvard University's business school.
