Grant Thornton, the US member firm of independent audit, tax and advisory services provider Grant Thornton International, has appointed Diane Swonk as its new chief economist.

Swonk, along with her team, joins from private consulting firm DS Economics. She will be based in Chicago in the new role.

At DS Economics, Swonk offered advice to clients from the Fortune 500 to small and midsize firms.

Prior to that, she served as the chief economist at Mesirow Financial, director of economics at Bank One, as well as also worked for two terms as an adviser to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. She also serves as an adviser to the Federal Reserve.

Grant Thornton CEO Mike McGuire said: “Companies need sharp and timely economic insights to succeed – the very insights that have made Diane so well known.

“With her knowledge and experience across multiple sectors, including the high-growth middle market, Diane and her team complement our forward-thinking approach to solving clients’ problems.”