Mühleisen is at present chief of staff to IMF managing director Christine Lagarde, and will replace Siddharth Tiwari, who retired last month.

The strategy, policy, and review director guides the IMF's interactions with international bodies such as the G20 and the United Nations.  

Lagarde said: “Martin brings an outstanding combination of skills and experience. He has a deep knowledge of fund policies and operations gained over his 24-year career here; analytical rigor demonstrated time and again, particularly in his work on crisis programmes and surveillance; and a stellar reputation – internally and externally – for his intellectual leadership and personal integrity.”