Translated material
Christine Lagarde: Non -Nenchronous Swimming
Nonnichronized swimming. “The world is on the verge of new great depression”-Christine Lagard, the first woman who took the post of director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its entire 65-year history, made such a gloomy forecast with such a gloomy forecast. The New Times became interested in how the daughter of a modest teacher's couple managed to break into the world elite
 |
It seemed that after the high chair was forced to leave the Dominic Stross-Kan, stuck in a sexual scandal, a hot lobbying struggle would unfold for him. But it ended, not having time to begin: as soon as the candidacy Christine Lagard was nominated, it became clear that the French Minister does not have real rivals. “If they choose me,” said Christine Lagarde in June, on the eve of the final vote, “I will bring the experience of a lawyer, minister, manager and, finally, a woman to the work of the IMF.” She was chosen.
At first there was a sport
She looks at you confidently and openly, in the depths of her brown eyes there is some irony, it seems that she foresees your every further question. Christine Lagarde loves to communicate with reporters, is not afraid of tricky questions, which he answers clearly and in case - more as a lawyer, not a politician. Tall, slender, with sports posture, which is emphasized by a fitted jacket and which high heels do not interfere at all, she is confidently swimming in life. “I started my career with sports,” she says, “this still helps to remain strong in the most difficult situations.”
The girl Little Christine Laluet (her maiden surname) began to engage in synchronized swimming, performed in the national team and at the age of 15 she even received a bronze medal in the French championship. But the dreams of a sports career were not destined to come true: at 17, Christine loses her father, her mother remains with four children. Christine had to take care of the family for herself, she combined school with small part -time jobs: she cleaned the fish, sold jeans. Although I had to end sports, he left a mark on the character of the future minister: 20 minutes of yoga every morning, not a drop of alcohol and no meat.
At the end of school, Christine receives an American non -governmental grant and leaves to study for the ocean. After several years of study and internships in the US Congress, she returns to France to continue his studies at the ex-envans and later in Paris. Quickly, after receiving a university diploma, she got a job at the American law firm Baker & Mckenzie, in which over 25 years of work passed all the steps of a career ladder - from a simple companion in the Paris office to the president of the executive international committee in Chicago. Lagarde not only successfully managed a state of 4800 employees of 35 nationalities, but also raised the company's turnover by 50%, bringing it to $ 1.28 billion in 2005.
After 10 years in Chicago, Christine returned to France. “It was not easy to make such a decision,” says her former colleague, “she was at the top of her career. The Frenchwoman at the head of one of the largest law firms - this could become the plot of the novel. In addition, in Chicago, she received € 40 thousand per month, and as the Minister of Foreign Trade, which she occupied in France, was four times less. But Christine understood that in America her career was finished, there is nowhere to rise above. And she needed new victories. ”
"American"
In just two years, Christine Lagard has been changing three ministerial portfolios: foreign trade, agriculture and, finally, the economy. The enemies call it L'mericaine (“American”) - in France this is not a compliment at all. She speaks English freely and without the slightest accent. In some compatriots, this still causes irritation. But Christine himself allows us to speak, as they say, in the same language with partners on the other side of the Atlantic. During the financial crisis that erupted in 2008, Christine made more than a dozen flights across the ocean. She did not have a single weekend, sometimes she worked for three to four days, without crushing for a minute. The workaholic in the skirt nevertheless managed to grow two sons from her first marriage. And since 2006, she has been dating an entrepreneur from Marseille Xavier Jokanti, who, by his own admission, has been struck by the “gross internal potential” of his companion.
  |
Having taken on the main responsibility for the painful economic measures taken by the Sarkozy Government during the crisis (sequestration of the budget, cutting of social expenses, freezing salaries in the public sector), Madame Lagarde managed to maintain a fairly high level of popularity among the population. The journalists who know her personally explain this to “a kind of aura of competence, high motivation and the complete absence of snobbery”. The latter is evidenced by dozens of caricatures for Christine Lagard, who occupied half -style in her ministerial office. “Such a look often helps to soberly evaluate itself,” the mistress of the office explained.
Millions of tapi
In the brilliant biography, Christine Lagarda has only one “Zagogulin” - the sensational “Tapi case”, in the framework of which the French prosecutor's office aroused the case of the exceeding official powers after she stood at the head of the IMF.
The scandal is rooted in the 90s, when the French multimillionaire Bernard Tapi accused the Credit Lyonnais Bank of an unfair sale of the Adidas businessman. Tapi decided that his former company was bought by fake persons for resale, and he, as the original owner, has the right to a percentage of profit. In 2007, when Christine Lagarda already held the post of Minister of Economics, Tapi submits a petition to transfer the case to the arbitration court, who eventually recognized the plaintiff and obliged the state to reimburse him, taking into account moral damage and expenses for lawyers, € 220 million. According to representatives of the state who were engaged in this case, they received a direct instruction of the Minister of Economics with a request to accept the plaintiff’s request for arbitration - it is in this that opponents of Lagarda see, if not corruption, then certainly abuse of office.
And although Lagarde threaten 10 years in prison and € 150 thousand, a fine, Madame herself is absolutely calm, claims that the case is not worth a cashed egg and is completely fabricated: “As for this judicial procedure, I feel completely confident. First of all, because I have a pure conscience. I acted strictly in the interests of the state and in the framework of the law. ”
Be that as it may, the investigation, begun in his homeland, does not interfere with Christine Lagardus effectively perform the functions of the director of the IMF. So far, European politicians are arguing about which new funds to create to support the euro and what contributions to fill them, the good old IMF continues its mission to save national economies according to the methods worked out for decades. Financial experts admit: the fact that long -suffering Greece has not yet been declared default is very great the merit of the International Monetary Fund and its new chapter.
These rescue operations Christine Lagarde are not easy: the IMF believes that all countries, regardless of the state and political structure or religion, must unite to combat the crisis. ” This woman does not know how to retreat, but she knows how to fight - she calls for this in the current difficult conditions of her colleagues: politicians and financiers.