Post by HEC Women in Business Club

Yesterday HEC Paris welcomed Christine Lagarde. Who is she? Christine Lagarde is a French politician and lawyer serving as President of the European Central Bank, since 1 November 2019. Prior to this appointment, she served as Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).  What is her background? Christine Lagarde studied law in Paris, and she joined an international law firm, Baker & McKenzie. She took on several positions throughout her career including partnership, managing partnership, membership to executive committees, being the chairperson of the executive committee and chairperson of the global strategic committee in Baker & McKenzie.  Why is she inspiring? Lagarde previously held various senior ministerial posts in the Government of France: she was Minister of Foreign Trade (2005–2007), Minister of Agriculture and Fishing (2007) and Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry (2007–2011). Lagarde was the first woman to become finance minister of a G8 economy and is the first woman to head both the ECB and the IMF. A noted antitrust and labour lawyer, Lagarde was the first female Chair of major international law firm Baker & McKenzie, between 1999 and 2004.  In 2019 and again in 2020, Forbes ranked her number two on its World's 100 Most Powerful Women list. #hecparis #womeninbusiness #ecb #femaleleaders #inspiringwomen