Irma Rosenberg new Deputy Governor

The General Council of the Riksbank today appointed Irma Rosenberg as deputy governor and new member of the Riksbank's Executive Board. She was elected for a period of six years with effect from 1 January 2003. Mrs Rosenberg will be responsible for the preparation of the Executive Board's monetary policy decisions.

Mrs Rosenberg is 57 years old and has a PhD in economics. She is currently chief economist at the state-owned mortgage institution SBAB. During the period 1995-2000 she worked as chief economist for Sweden Post and Postgirot Bank, prior to that she has been head of research and head of forecasting at the National Institute of Economic Research 1986-95, as well as head of the economic analysis group at the Riksbank 1976-86.

"Irma Rosenberg has worked on assessments of economic cycles and monetary policy during the greater part of her career and she also has broad experience of the financial markets," said the Chairman of the General Council, Jan Bergqvist and Vice Chairman Johan Gernandt in a joint comment on the decision.

"Mrs Rosenberg is well-equipped for this post and her background contributes to a good all-round composition in the Executive Board," continue Bergqvist and Gernandt. "We are pleased to be able to recruit her to the Riksbank and it was a unanimous decision."

The Executive Board of the Riksbank consists of six members, elected for mandate periods of six years. Urban Bäckström will leave his post of governor at the end of the year. Lars Heikensten will then take over as governor and Eva Srejber will take over as first deputy governor. The other members of the board and deputy governors are Villy Bergström, Lars Nyberg and Kristina Persson.

A press conference with the Chairman of the General Council Jan Bergqvist and Vice Chairman Johan Gernandt, as well as Irma Rosenberg, will be held today, at 2.30 p.m. in the Riksbank, Brunkebergstorg 11. Press cards must be shown.