Masood Ahmed retires from IMF

ISLAMABAD: Masood Ahmed, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and a vocal supporter of Pakistan at the fund, retired on Friday.

“Masood has been a visionary leader of the department for the last eight years. I have highly valued his wise counsel, political acumen and great strategic sense,” IMF’s Managing Director Christine Lagarde said. “His departure is a loss for the fund and he will be deeply missed by his friends and colleagues alike.”

The IMF has yet not nominated his successor. “The search for this position will kick-start right now,” said the IMF in a statement.

Ahmed has been the Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department since November 1, 2008. Before taking up this position, he was the Director of the External Relations Department in the IMF since May 1, 2006.

Ahmed served as Director General for Policy and International Development at the UK Government's Department for International Development during 2003-06. He also served as the Deputy Director in the IMF's Policy Development and Review Department between 2000 and 2003. Between 1979 and 2000, Ahmed held a number of positions in the World Bank.