Bloomberg News names new monthly columnist

Economist Simon Johnson has joined Bloomberg News as a monthly columnist covering the economy and the financial industry.

Johnson is the Ronald A. Kurtz Professor of Entrepreneurship at MIT Sloan School of Management and a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. He is also a co-founder of BaselineScenario.com and a member of the Congressional Budget Office’s Panel of Economic Advisers.

“Simon is a leading thinker and writer on the U.S. economy and banking system,” said Bloomberg News editor in chief Matthew Winkler in a statement. “His commentary has informed and shaped the debate over the role the biggest financial firms play in determining the course of U.S. economic policy.”

Previous to his role at MIT, Johnson was the chief economist for the International Monetary Fund and director of its research department. Johnson also co-authored the best-selling book, “13 bankers: The Wall Street Takeover and the Next Financial Meltdown.”