More from the Author

• Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2018

  Christine Lagarde

  Julie Battilana, Carin-Isabel Knoop, Vanessa Ampelas and Noemie Assenat

  For a modular presentation of the same material, please see “Christine Lagarde (A): A French Prime Minister Calls” (HBS No. 419-017), “Christine Lagarde (B): Being a Public Servant” (HBS No. 419-018), and “Christine Lagarde (C): Managing the IMF” (HBS No. 419-019). These full-length cases describe various stages of Christine Lagarde's career. They are stand-alone cases that can also be used over several classes. The entire series, including its video products, was designed to be modular. The case covers the youth and career trajectory of Christine Lagarde across her time at Baker & McKenzie, as a minister in the government of France, and as the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The case highlights the challenges and opportunities she faced during each phase of her career and how she managed them. Lagarde started her career in 1981 as a lawyer at the global law firm Baker & McKenzie, which employed approximately 2,500 lawyers across 35 countries by 1999, when she became the firm's first non-American and female chairman. In 2005, she became France's Minister for Foreign Trade in President Jacques Chirac's administration and was the EU's de facto finance minister when the financial crisis was most acute. In 2011, she was selected to head the IMF. Since 2011, Lagarde worked to build the foundation for the IMF's adaptation to the realities of the 21st century. By 2017, shortly after Lagarde began her second term as the managing director of the IMF, the world faced both opportunities and challenges as a result of the rapidly evolving, hyper-connected global economy, including deeper cross-border integration, the rise of emerging economies, technological change, and growing wealth and income inequality within countries. These interrelated dynamics were playing out alongside heightened anxiety within the populations of some major advanced economies about what these changes meant for them. The concerns manifested themselves in an inward focus, rumblings of protectionism, and questions about the worth of international cooperation and the multilateral system itself. Lagarde believed that the challenges facing the world economy warranted not less but more global cooperation. In this context, she had to determine how the IMF—as the leading advocate of global economic cooperation since its creation—could better demonstrate its effectiveness. She knew that it was a critical moment.

  Keywords: power and influence; leadership; gender; Change; Personal Development and Career; Power and Influence; Leadership; Gender; Leading Change;

  Citation:

  Battilana, Julie, Carin-Isabel Knoop, Vanessa Ampelas, and Noemie Assenat. "Christine Lagarde." Harvard Business School Case 419-016, August 2018.  View Details

  CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase

  Related

• Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2018

  Christine Lagarde (A): A French Prime Minister Calls

  Julie Battilana and Carin-Isabel Knoop

  This case covers formative events and influences in Christine Lagarde’s childhood and her trajectory from studying political science and law to heading the world’s largest law firm. As she prepares to transition back to practice in 2005, the new Prime Minister of France calls to offer her a ministerial position in the new Cabinet. She has to decide whether she wants to take on a role in the public sector. For coverage of her career from 2005 to 2011, see “Christine Lagarde (B): Being a Public Servant” (HBS No. 419-018). For coverage of her career from 2011 to 2018, see “Christine Lagarde (C): Managing the IMF” (HBS No. 419-019). For comprehensive coverage of her evolution and career, see “Christine Lagarde” (HBS No. 419-016).

  Keywords: Personal Development and Career; Power and Influence; Decision Making;

  Citation:

  Battilana, Julie, and Carin-Isabel Knoop. "Christine Lagarde (A): A French Prime Minister Calls." Harvard Business School Case 419-017, August 2018.  View Details

  CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase

  Related

• Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2018

  Christine Lagarde (B): Being a Public Servant

  Julie Battilana and Carin-Isabel Knoop

  This case covers the career of Christine Lagarde from 2005 to 2011 after she joins the French Government. After serving several grueling years as Finance Minister during the financial crisis that started in 2007/2008, she is being considered as the next Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). As the first female head of the IMF, she would lead a very complex, 187-member organization typically run by economists. The ability to shape better outcomes to some of the world’s thorniest problems appeals to her, but she needs to carefully consider the risks. For coverage of Christine Lagarde’s evolution from childhood to 2005, see “Christine Lagarde (A): A French Prime Minister Calls” (HBS No. 419-017). For coverage of her career from 2011 to 2018, see “Christine Lagarde (C): Managing the IMF” (HBS No. 419-019). For comprehensive coverage of her evolution and career, see “Christine Lagarde” (HBS No. 419-016).

  Keywords: Personal Development and Career; Government and Politics; Financial Crisis; Power and Influence;

  Citation:

  Battilana, Julie, and Carin-Isabel Knoop. "Christine Lagarde (B): Being a Public Servant." Harvard Business School Case 419-018, August 2018.  View Details

  CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase

  Related