Lars Heikensten new Governor Eva Srejber First Deputy Governor

The General Council of the Riksbank were today unanimous in their appointment of Lars Heikensten as new Governor of the Riksbank to succeed Urban Bäckström. Heikensten was appointed for a period of six years with effect from 1 January 2003. At the same time, the General Council unanimously agreed to appoint Eva Srejber as member of the Executive Board for a period of six years with effect from 2003. Mrs Srejber was at the same time appointed the new First Deputy Governor, with effect from 1 January 2003.

"Lars Heikensten and Eva Srejber both have sound experience and have carried out excellent work as First Deputy Governor and Second Deputy Governor respectively. The General Council has full confidence in them and it was natural to elect them to the leading posts," said Chairman of the General Council Sven Hulterström and Deputy Chairman Johan Gernandt in a joint statement.

"The choice of Heikensten and Srejber is an expression of our confidence in the monetary policy pursued and of the General Council's wish to guarantee continuity in the Riksbank's work. This also means that the Riksbank is well-prepared for a possible membership of stage three of EMU, if the Riksdag (the Swedish parliament) decides on this," commented Hulterström and Gernandt.

The choice of a sixth member of the Executive Board, as well as the possible appointment of a second deputy governor, will be made by the General Council that takes office after the parliamentary elections in the autumn.

Lars Heikensten is 51 years old and has been Deputy Governor of the Riksbank since 1995. He has a PhD in Economics and his previous posts have included chief economist at Handelsbanken and the Swedish National Debt Office, as well as heading the economic department at the Ministry of Finance.

Eva Srejber is 50 years old and has been Second Deputy Governor since 1999. She has earlier been Head of the Riksbank's Monetary and Foreign Exchange Policy Department, a member of the board at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and been responsible for EMU issues at Föreningssparbanken.

A press conference attended by Sven Hulterström, Johan Gernandt, Lars Heikensten and Eva Srejber will be held today at 3 p.m. in the Bancofullmäktiges assembly hall in the Riksdag (parliamentary building), address Riksgatan 1. Press cards must be shown.