Forty-nine years of age Ali Velshi is a Canadian television journalist, anchor of MSNBC Live on MSNBC channel and Chief Business Correspondent for NBC News. He was born on October 29, 1968, in Nairobi, Kenya and raised there. He is the son of Murad Velshi and Mila Velshi. His father was a Canadian of Indian Origin. He follows Muslim religion and is of Gujarati Indian descent.
Velshi attended Northern Secondary school in Toronto. Velshi earned his degree in 1994 from Queen`s University in Kingston, Ontario in religious studies. Velshi was awarded the Queen's University Alumni Achievement Award in the year 2010. In the year 2016, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by his Alma Mater. In 1996, Velshi got a fellowship award to the United States Congress from the American Political Science Association.
Velshi began his professional reporting career working as a General Assignment reporter for CFTO in Toronto. He later started reporting as a business reporter and anchor for cable pulse 24 and its then sister station called CITY TV. He joined Report on Business Television in 1999 which was Canada's first all-business news channel. Velshi also hosted The Business News which was Canada's first prime-time business news hour program.
In September 2001, Velshi moved to the U.S. and joined business news channel called CNNfn in New York City. He anchored several shows including Business Unusual, Street Sweep, Insights, Your Money, and also co-hosted The Money Gang with Pat Kiernan.
Velshi got reassigned to the main CNN network where he remained a business anchor and reporter. In the year 2005, Velshi hosted 13 hour-long episodes of The Turnaround, which is a reality show. During the show, he traveled across America and introduced small business owners facing challenges to high-profile mentors who helped the small business owners develop a plan and help them to success.
Velshi was assigned to the newly launched ‘The Situation Room’ from 2005 to 2006 after `The Turnaround`. In late 2006 Velshi joined American Morning as a business correspondent and then again as co-anchor in 2011.
Velshi was first married in his 20s. He got a divorce and started dating his girlfriend, and in 2009 he married his second wife named Lori Wachs who is a New York-born hedge-fund manager, and the president of Philadelphia-based Cross Ledge Investments and the couple are living a happy life. He met her when she was a guest on his show. There is not much information about his first wife and children and family life.
Velshi`s net worth is $500 thousand. His salary has not yet been disclosed to the media. Ali has a good height of 5 feet and 9 inches. More information on Velshi can be found on his wiki page and other sites which also include his bio and work details.
