Noreena Hertz, the economist and author, is to join ITV News as its new economics editor.

She is expected to stand down from the board of Warner Music to take up the role.

The 49-year-old has written several best-selling books on business and is a professor at University College London and a Fellow at Judge Business School in Cambridge.

She is the great granddaughter of former Chief Rabbi Joseph H Hertz, and is married to Danny Cohen, the BBC’s former director of television.

Raised in London, she has a PhD in economics from Cambridge University and made her name with her 2002 book The Silent Takeover, warning that over-powerful financial institutions would have serious global consequences.

She said she was "thrilled to be joining ITV News as economics editor, at such an important time in the lead up to and aftermath of the EU Referendum".

"It's an amazing team of experts with a distinctive voice and I can't wait to get started."

Geoff Hill, editor of ITV News, said he was delighted to welcome her to the line-up.

“Noreena’s vast expertise as an economist will be invaluable to ITV News, and will further strengthen our line-up of specialist editors,” he said.

Ms Hertz, who once clashed with Jeremy Clarkson over claims she was a Marxist, will join fellow Jewish economics expert Robert Peston at ITV. Mr Peston joined the broadcaster as political editor in January.