British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed Professor Minouche Shafik, former president of Columbia University in New York, as his chief economic adviser. Shafik was forced to resign from her position at Columbia University last year after facing severe criticism over her handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus, which continued for many months following the October 7 attack. Previously, she served as deputy president of the International Monetary Fund during the Eurozone debt crisis and the Arab Spring, as well as CEO of the British foreign aid office.