Poul Mathias Thomsen (born 1955, in Aabenraa) is a Danish economist working for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since the 1980s. He served as the director of the IMF's European Department.[1] He led the bailouts of Iceland, Greece, Portugal and Ukraine during and after the Great Recession.[2]

Poul M. Thomsen
European Department, International Monetary Fund
In office
November 2014 – July 2020
PresidentChristine Lagarde
David Lipton (Acting)
Kristalina Georgieva
Succeeded byAlfred Kammer
Personal details
Born1955
Aabenraa

He retired from the IMF in July 2020.[3]

Reception in Europe

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Greece

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He was referred as "Mr Blue Eyes" on Greek press.[4] Because of his strict and debatable financial tactics (as he insisted on implementing more taxes and cutting pensions and salaries), and, especially, accusations that such imposed measures actually prolonged the country's debt crisis, he became one of the most repugnant persons in Greece.[4]

He also raised concern on the Greek press on the amount of his pension that will receive as he retires in July.[5]


References

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  1. ^ "Poul Mathias Thomsen". IMF. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Meet One of the Most Hated Men in Greece". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  3. ^ "IMF European Department head to retire in July". www.aninews.in. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  4. ^ a b ΙΝ, Σύνταξη (4 February 2020). "Μας αποχαιρετά ο «Mr Blue Eyes», ο πιο μισητός άνθρωπος στην Ελλάδα". in.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  5. ^ Πολ Τόμσεν: “Πετσόκοβε” συντάξεις για χρόνια και θα πάρει… συνταξάρα στα 65!, newsit.gr, Poul Tomsen: While he used to cut pensions he will get a...huge pension at the age of 65! (in Greek)
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  Media related to Poul Mathias Thomsen at Wikimedia Commons