Women's history month: 10 women making history today

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde attends a Eurogroup meeting ahead of a two-day EU leaders summit in Brussels on March 1. (Francois Lenoir/Reuters)

4. Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund

Christine Lagarde took the helm of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July 2011, serving as the first female managing director of the organization, which promotes international monetary cooperation and exchange rate stability.
Ms. Lagarde, who has a background in law and formerly served as France’s finance minister, was chosen for the leadership role after the arrest of former head Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was accused of sexual assault during a visit to the United States.
As head of the IMF during the eurozone crisis, Lagarde has overseen the multibillion euro bailouts of several European countries and called for the initially unpopular, but now widely supported, mandatory restructuring of debt in European banks.
The outspoken leader has blamed the 2008 global financial crisis in part on the “male-dominated, testosterone-fueled culture” of the international banking industry.