Mr. John Odling-Smee has been Director of European II Department of the IMF since the department was created on January 2, 1992, until October 31, 2003 when the department was dissolved.¹

He has an MA in economics from Cambridge University, and taught economics at Cambridge and Oxford Universities and the London School of Economics in 1964-70 and 1972-75. He was economic advisor to the Prime Minister of Ghana in 1971-72. He held various positions in the UK Cabinet Office and Treasury in 1975-80 and 1983-90, including that of Deputy Chief Economic Advisor in 1989-90.

He joined the IMF staff for two years in 1981-82, and then rejoined in 1990 in the European Department, where he worked on Israel, Spain, the USSR and Yugoslavia. As Director of European II Department, he was responsible for the IMF's work in the three Baltic states and twelve Commonwealth of Independent States countries.