Alistair Thomson is deputy chief of media relations in the IMF's Communications Department. Prior to joining the IMF in 2009, he cultivated a keen interest in international development over more than a decade as a foreign correspondent for Reuters. During that time he was posted in Belgium, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, and Senegal, covering all aspects of news—from economics and trade to sports, politics, and conflict. Mr. Thomson is from the United Kingdom and holds a Masters in International Relations from De Montfort University.