Spring Meetings

Mr. Li assumed the role of Deputy Managing Director at the IMF on August 23, 2021. He is responsible for the IMF’s work on about 90 countries as well as on a wide range of policy issues. Before joining the IMF, Mr. Li worked for many years at the People’s Bank of China, most recently as Deputy Governor. He earlier headed the Monetary Policy, Monetary Policy II, and Legal and Regulation Departments, where he played an important role in the reform of state-owned banks, the drafting of China’s anti-money-laundering law, the internationalization of the renminbi, and the establishment of China’s macroprudential policy framework.

Mr. Acosta is the Minister of Finance of Costa Rica since May 2022. He has been actively involved in the negotiations and design of the RSF with the IMF during 2022. He previously served as Vice-Minister of Revenues (2018-19), co-leading the work on the 2018 fiscal reform that introduced the VAT in Costa Rica, and as Economic Advisor at the Superintendency of Pensions (2020-22). Mr. Acosta also held several senior positions in the financial sector including Deputy General Manager of Banco Nacional Seguros (2010-11). He was also involved in the legislative process of Costa Rica as a Parliamentary Advisor (2014-18).

Mr. Murati is the Minister of Finance, Labor, and Transfers of the Republic of Kosovo since March 2021. He was instrumental to designing and successfully negotiating the SBA/RST program with the IMF. He has led work on improving fiscal management, maintaining fiscal discipline, and implementing structural reforms, including targeted support to most affected businesses and households by COVID 19 pandemic, as well as those affected by most recent inflation. Mr. Murati’s previous experience includes his active work in public policy issues, working with government institutions, independent agencies, and donor community. He served as a member of parliament before his current assignment

Mr. Ndung’u is the Cabinet Secretary at the National Treasury and Economic LPanning for the Republic of Kenya since 2022. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Executive Director of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), a Pan African premier capacity building network. He is an associate professor of economics at the University of Nairobi, Kenya and the immediate former Governor, Central Bank of Kenya (from 2007 until 2015). Prof. Ndung’u has been a member of the Global Advisory Council of the World Economic Forum, Visiting Fellow of Practice at Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University, Director of Training at AERC, and Program specialist at IDRC.

Mr. Straughn is Cabinet Minister in Barbados and current Member of Parliament. He is one of the architects of the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation Programme. As Minister responsible for Finance and Economic Affairs, he has sought to strengthen the management of the public finances. He previously served as an economist at the Central Bank of Barbados, as the President of the Barbados Economics Society and as Chair of the Trade and Economic Policy Committee at the Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry.