Ali Velshi to Anchor CNN International's World Business Today

Beginning January 2012, Ali Velshi brings his first rate business expertise to CNN International's daily global business programme ‘World Business Today', joining the ranks of emerging markets editor, John Defterios and foremost international business correspondent Richard Quest, as economic stories continue to set the world’s news agenda.

Velshi will anchor one-hour of ‘World Business Today’, which is broadcast live to over 200 countries across the world.

CNN International Executive Vice President and Managing Director Tony Maddox said, "With new economic superpowers emerging across different continents, Ali brings the right mix of curiosity and business news experience to play a prominent role in reporting these crucial stories to CNN Worldwide's global audience."

Trusted for his hallmark explanations of complicated issues during the financial crisis and during times of political and economic uncertainty, Velshi will expand his now familiar role as a decoder of political and economic issues and fact-checking across CNN's U.S. and International programming. He has reported extensively on the global financial meltdown since 2008; the financial collapses of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG and Lehman Brothers; the U.S. government's bailout plan; the battle over the fate of the American big three automakers; and the U.S. debt ceiling and budget debate.

"I'm looking forward to the daily intellectual exercise of taking the most important and intricate issues, breaking them down and providing the context necessary to help the CNN viewer make the smartest decisions they can," said Velshi.

Velshi's in-depth reporting for CNN's "How The Wheels Came Off" was honoured with a National Headliner Award for Business & Consumer Reporting in 2010. He anchored CNN's breaking news coverage of the attempted terror attack on a flight into Detroit, delivering CNN's worldwide newsgathering for which the network was nominated for a 2010 Emmy. Velshi is the co-author of "How To Speak Money," which releases on November 8, 2011; and author of "Gimme My Money Back," which released in January 2009.