Harvard Gets Gita 2.0: IMF Star Returns With Economic Firepower

After nearly seven transformative years at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Gita Gopinath is heading back to her academic roots at Harvard University. Gopinath, who made history as the IMF’s first female Chief Economist and later as First Deputy Managing Director, will rejoin Harvard’s Economics Department on September 1, 2025, as the inaugural Gregory and Ania Coffey Professor of Economics.

 

Her departure marks the end of a tenure defined by global crises, bold policy leadership, and groundbreaking economic analysis. From steering the IMF through the COVID-19 pandemic, to shaping responses to wars, inflation, and trade disruptions, Gopinath’s legacy is one of intellectual rigor and practical impact.

 

Back to Academia

In her announcement, Gopinath said she was “truly grateful” for her time at the IMF and looked forward to “pushing the research frontier in international finance and macroeconomics” while mentoring the next generation of economists.

 

Harvard faculty and leadership welcomed her return with enthusiasm, noting her contributions to understanding exchange rates, capital flows, and the global financial architecture.

 

IMF’s Tribute

 

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva praised Gopinath as “an exceptional intellectual leader” whose work during turbulent times helped shape the Fund’s global response. She highlighted Gopinath’s role in:

What’s Next at the IMF?

A successor to Gopinath has not yet been announced, but the IMF confirmed that the transition will be handled “in due course”.

 

Sources: The Hindu BusinessLine, Harvard Gazette, IMF Official Statement, Financial Express, Firstpost