Ms Christine Lagarde has been appointed Minister of the Economy, Finance and Employment in François Fillon's new government following the post-election reshuffle on 19 June 2007. Ms Lagarde, aged 51, is the Bank's new Governor for France.

Ms Lagarde is a graduate in labour law and political sciences (Paris X-Nanterre University) and has a master's degree in English.

Following her studies, she worked as a lawyer at the Paris court of appeal and lectured in law at Paris X-Nanterre. In 1981, she joined the Paris office of the US law firm Baker & McKenzie where she became a Managing Partner in 1987. From 1995, she served on the global executive committee and was elected Chairman in 1999.

In April 2005, she joined the supervisory board of the ING group, which she left before becoming Minister Delegate.

She entered politics and was appointed Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade in the Villepin government in June 2005.

In May 2007, she became Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in the Fillon government. She was then appointed Minister of the Economy on 19 June 2007, following Jean-Louis Borloo's departure to the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Transport.