MANAGING DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
Christine Lagarde was born in Paris, studied law and has held ministerial positions in the French government, including that of finance and economy minister. She was the first woman to become finance minister of a G7 country. Now she is managing director of the International Monetary Fund, the first woman to be elected to the position, which she took up in 2011.
The IMF, which has its headquarters in Washington DC, has 188 member countries and exists to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty.