Christine Lagarde has served on the frontlines of the world’s biggest financial crises. Just months after becoming the first-ever female finance minister of a G7 country, the Great Recession struck. The next onslaught came in the form of the European Sovereign Debt crisis, where, as Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, she threw lifelines to flailing Eurozone member states. And now, as the current President of the European Central Bank, she’s playing a key role in digging European economies out from COVID-19.

Needless to say, when Christine Lagarde talks fiscal and monetary policy, people listen.

On September 16, HEC Paris and the European League for Economic Cooperation (ELEC) joined forces to host Lagarde as the inaugural speaker for HEC Talks. This new lecture series was crafted by HEC Paris as a forum for curiosity and diversity. Lagarde’s presentation, “Moving forward: the Euro and the European economy in a changing world” was held in a hybrid format, with the live broadcast attracting more than 10,000 views.

During her hour-long discussion, Lagarde answered questions from two student moderators, as well as several submitted via Zoom. The result was a frank and insightful discussion that included cryptocurrencies, the green economy and the best way to support women in business.

Next on the agenda for HEC Talks is Daniel Kahneman, winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and author of the mega bestseller, Thinking, Fast and Slow. The famed economist will converse with HEC Paris Professor Olivier Sibony about his life, his work, and their recently published book “Noise. ”

Kahneman joins HEC Talks on October 7, 2021.