Exclusive: US considering White House adviser Yared for IMF post

Exclusive: US considering White House adviser Yared for IMF post

The Trump administration is reportedly considering recommending White House economic adviser Pierre Yared for the No. 2 job at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to sources familiar with the discussions [1].

IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath announced in July that she would leave her post at the end of August to return to Harvard University [1]. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva is currently reviewing the names and qualifications of potential successors for Gopinath and expects to announce a decision before the IMF and World Bank's meetings in Washington next month [1].

Yared, who is currently the vice chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, holds a PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He taught at Columbia University Business School and served as senior vice dean for faculty affairs before joining the White House in February [1]. Yared was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and raised in Cleveland.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, when asked about Yared, said that Treasury was looking at "three very strong candidates" and expressed a positive opinion of Yared, stating, "I like Pierre a lot" [1]. Bessent also mentioned that Yared could potentially take over the top spot at the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), whose current chair Stephen Miran has been nominated for a temporary job on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

Miran is also a candidate to replace Fed Governor Lisa Cook, whom President Donald Trump fired last week over alleged mortgage fraud. Cook has sued Trump and the Fed, claiming Trump lacks the authority to fire her [1].

The United States, as the largest shareholder in the IMF, traditionally nominates the deputy managing director, subject to approval by the fund's executive board. The European Union traditionally nominates the chief at the IMF, while the U.S. nominates the head of the World Bank [1].

The portfolio of the deputy role typically includes strategy, policy development, and lending programs [1].

References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-considering-white-house-adviser-yared-imf-post-sources-say-2025-09-01/