BBC News has appointed business and economics journalist Dharshini David as its first global trade correspondent.
The role has been created ahead of the UK officially leaving the European Union later this month and moving into a Brexit transition period.
The BBC said the new position will enhance its coverage of trade “at a time when it is making headlines every day”.
David, who is starting in the role immediately, is tasked with providing a global perspective on trade for UK and international audiences across BBC News output on TV, radio and online.
She said: “International trade can be dismissed as dry and complex but globalisation has shaped all our fortunes – for better or worse – in recent years.
“The new decade is going to be defined by radical changes in trading relationships.
“I’m looking forward to working with my BBC colleagues to strip away the spin and speculation, to explain to our audiences what lies in store – and exactly what this means for them.”
David currently covers economics as a correspondent for BBC News and presents business news on Radio 4’s Today programme.
She started her career in economics before joining the BBC to cover economics and consumer news and moved to New York to cover business as the financial crisis took hold.
David also spent several years between 2009 and 2016 at Sky News as a business correspondent and presenter of Sky News Tonight alongside Adam Boulton.
She has authored a book on international economics and advised the Tesco board on broadcast media relations.
Head of BBC newsgathering Jonathan Munro said David would “bring insight, verve and energy to one of the defining stories of the 2020s”.
“Dharshini has exceptional credentials for this job which we’ve created to provide a global perspective on trade for our international and domestic audiences,” he said.
Picture: BBC
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