Student Seminar Held with IMF Deputy Managing Director Antoinette Monsio Sayeh

November 29, 2023

On November 17, 2023, a seminar was held at Keio University Mita Campus featuring guest speaker Antoinette Monsio Sayeh, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). About 30 people participated in the seminar, mostly students from the Faculty of Economics, as well as two of Keio's Vice-Presidents: Professor Yukihiro Ikeda and Professor Akiyo Okuda.

In her keynote speech, DMD Sayeh touched on her personal career path, beginning with her experience as Liberia's minister of finance where she worked to rebuild the country's economy after the civil war, followed by her stint at the World Bank and now at the IMF where she was involved in various initiatives supporting global economic development.

Her keynote speech was followed by a Q&A session with the audience. Professor Hiroyuki Yamada of the Faculty of Economics and fourth-year economics student representative Tamao Isono were joint moderators during this segment of the event. Students posed a myriad of questions to DMD Sayeh, including, "What are your current goals as a professional?" "What steps should students take if they wished to pursue an international career like yourself?" and "What do you believe is the most effective solution in addressing the global demographic crisis?"

DMD Sayeh responding to students' questions

A student asking a question during the session

(Upper row, from left) Fourth-year economics student Tamao Isono, Professor Hiroyuki Yamada of the Faculty of Economics, IMF Executive Director for Japan Jun Mizuguchi, IMF Asia and Pacific Department Deputy Director Sanjaya Panth, Advisor to IMF DMD Amina Lahreche/(Lower row, from left) Keio Vice-President Akiyo Okuda, Keio Vice-President Yukihiro Ikeda, IMF Deputy Managing Director Antoinette Monsio Sayeh, IMF Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Director Akihiko Yoshida

Group photo taken with DMD Sayeh after the seminar

Photo: Takeshi Kishi