Key facts
- Christine Lagarde could be appointed chair of the World Economic Forum as soon as November.
- Lagarde would step down early from her role as European Central Bank chief.
- The WEF Board of Trustees, which includes Lagarde, is scheduled to meet on November 2.
- Her early departure would allow EU leaders to select a new ECB President before France's spring presidential election.
- Two ECB Executive Board vacancies will open with Lagarde's potential exit and Isabel Schnabel's resignation.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) may appoint Christine Lagarde as its next chair as early as November, according to four sources close to the organization. This move would necessitate her early departure from her role as European Central Bank (ECB) chief, potentially triggering a reshuffle at the ECB.
The WEF's Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet on November 2, where Lagarde, who is also a board member, could be elected. Alternatively, the meeting might set a date for a vote, allowing her to be designated chair for the WEF's annual meeting in Davos in January.
Lagarde's current term as ECB President is set to end in October 2027. An early exit would provide European Union leaders with an opportunity to select her successor before France's presidential elections next spring, amid concerns that a victory for the far-right could complicate negotiations. Her departure would create two vacancies on the ECB's six-member Executive Board, as Chief Economist Philip Lane is also due to step down in May.