Press Release No. 24/27

IMF Managing Director Appoints Ashlene van der Colff as Director of the Office of Internal Audit

January 26, 2024

Washington, DC: Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), announced today her intention to appoint Ms. Ashlene van der Colff as Director of the Office of Internal Audit (OIA). Ms. van der Colff will succeed Ms. Nancy Onyango and is expected to take up her appointment on March 4, 2024.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ashlene van der Colff as Director of the Office of Internal Audit,” Ms. Georgieva said. “I have informed the Executive Board of my intention to proceed with this appointment.”

Ms. van der Colff, a South African national, brings to the Fund more than 22 years of collective experience in internal and external audit, risk management, operations, human resources, and information technology. For the past four years, she has been Chief Audit Executive of FirstRand Group—one of the largest financial services institutions in Africa—where she spearheaded the Group’s internal audit functions across its businesses in Africa and the United Kingdom, and sites in India, Mauritius, and the United States.

Prior to the FirstRand Group, Ms. van der Colff was Chief Operating Officer for Momentum Metropolitan Holdings Group (MMH), an insurance and investment firm. She held other key positions at MMH over a four-year period, beginning in 2016 as Chief Audit Executive where she set the strategic direction for internal audit functions across MMH entities in Africa.

Before joining MMH, Ms. van der Colff served for two years at the South Africa-based Liberty Holdings Limited as Divisional Director of Operations. Ms. van der Colff began her career in 2003 at KPMG’s Cape Town office and became an Audit Partner within five years.

“Ashlene joins the Fund at a critical time when our member countries are facing ever-evolving shocks and risks. With her deep expertise in financial risk management and reputation as a strategic thinker and strong people manager, I am confident that she will provide excellent leadership to OIA and uphold its high standards,” added Ms. Georgieva.

Ms. van der Colff holds an honors degree in financial accounting, commerce, and a bachelor degree in social sciences, as well as post-graduate diplomas in financial accounting and tax laws from the University of Cape Town. She is also a Chartered Accountant, a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors of South Africa, and was an accredited audit partner to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.