It was with great sadness that we learnt this morning that Sir Andrew Crockett passed away yesterday at home in California. He was 69 and is survived by his wife Marjorie and their three children.
Sir Andrew joined the Bank in 1966 to work first in the Economics Department and then in the Cashier's Department. In 1972 he was seconded to the International Monetary Fund to become Personal Assistant to the Managing Director. He subsequently resigned from the Bank to join the Fund's staff. He was Chief of the Special Studies Division from 1974-77, working on the reform of the International Monetary System, before moving to the Middle Eastern department where he conducted negotiations with Egypt and Pakistan on IMF programmes. In 1982 he was appointed Deputy Director of the IMF Research Department.
Sir Andrew rejoined the Bank in 1989 as an Executive Director with responsibility for International Affairs and Financial Statistics. He resigned in 1993 to become the General Manager of the Bank of International Settlements, a post he held until 2003. Between 1999 and 2003 he served as Chairman of the Financial Stability Forum.
Sir Mervyn King said: "I am deeply saddened to learn of Andrew's death. He was a deeply loved and widely admired international public servant. Andrew showed great courage during his illness and will be missed by all who knew him, especially those who, like me, had the honour and pleasure of working closely with him."