“When there is a very difficult situation, women are called in to do the work. To sort out the mess.”
Christine Lagarde is doing just that. Having lead the IMF since 2011 amidst the organization being in the center of scandal regarding its former managing director as well as a global economic crisis, she knows how to sort out a mess — particularly in the world of finance.
Lagarde has long pioneered as a women in her profession, having been the first woman to chair the global law firm Baker and Mckenzie as well as the first female finance minister of France. She is now the first woman to lead the IMF and is in control of the global economy during an extended period of austerity.
“It’s a common trait of women, to be concerned about the collective success more than about their individual visibility respectability and success,” she says.
But the mother of two is fully aware of her footsteps following only those of men and is reminded daily as the portraits of previous directors hang firmly in the IMF boardroom. “I hope that there will be plenty of other female paintings,” Lagarde says. “I feel even worse when I look around the table unfortunately, because there’s only one female executive director out of 24 around the table.”
Lagarde was named Forbes 5th most powerful woman in 2014 and is using her current position of power to draw attention to issues concerning women in the global workforce.
“I’m the managing director of the International Monetary Fund…and our voice is listened to by policy makers,” says Lagarde, who is helping coordinate empirical research and analysis to provide evidence of the strong contribution women provide to the economy. As a trained lawyer, she is no stranger to the fact she needs evidence to make people listen.
But the responsibility of being the first woman in her current position weighs heavily on Lagarde’s shoulders. “I don’t want to let my female colleagues around the globe down,” she says. “I don’t want them to turn around to me and say…’why did you make a mess out of it’?”
Lagarde does not let this burden phase her when it comes to her responsibilities, however, and despite knowing there is more work to be done assures us, there will be success. That’s what she’s there for.
Follow us on #CNNWomen to read the next part of our interview with Christine Lagarde and to find out the next “money women” who meet CNN.