Mark Carney declined to comment on his interest in becoming head of the International Monetary Fund, emphasizing the need for a smooth transition for his successor as governor of the Bank of England.

“I’m committed to be here to have an orderly transition,” Carney said in a press conference on Thursday, speaking after the publication of the BOE’s latest Financial Stability Report. “Of course I’ll make sure that that is the case.”

When asked directly if he’s interested in replacing Christine Lagarde at the IMF, he said “it’s an absolute privilege to have this role” at the BOE and praised the work of Lagarde. He added that it’s too early in the process to comment.

Carney’s tenure at the U.K. central bank is due to end on Jan. 31. Lagarde has already stepped back from her duties at the IMF, and her deputy, David Lipton, has been appointed as acting head in the meantime.

European governments are actively discussing nominating Carney as the next head of the IMF, according to people familiar with the matter. While a Canadian by birth, Carney holds both British and Irish passports, so his selection could technically preserve the seven-decade practice of a European running the Washington-based lender.

--With assistance from Olivia Konotey-Ahulu and Stuart Biggs