Lagarde starts work at IMF

At her first news conference Christine Lagarde, the new head of the International Monetary Fund, said the global economy is rebounding from the financial crisis but the recovery remains unbalanced: “Growth potential has not been restored in many countries, given the fact that unemployment is still very high in many corners, and that therefore a lot needs to be done by the economic players. So that gives the IMF a landscape where [we can] really excel in terms of giving advice, recommendations and analysis – and ringing the alarm bell now and again – and obviously providing support if and when necessary.”

Despite repeated questions, Lagarde refused to comment on the allegations against her predecessor Dominique Strauss-Kahn or his treatment by the US legal system, and rejected suggestions that as a former French finance minister she would be biased towards France or French banks.

She also pledged to push ahead with reforms to give fast-growing emerging markets greater sway at the global lender.

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