The Overseas Press Club (OPC) of America has honoured Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator for the Financial Times, with the 2014 prize for best commentary in its annual awards ceremony in New York tonight.

OPC award judges said: “Wolf is not afraid to express a sharp point of view, thoroughly backed up with fact. His depth of knowledge on politics, economics and environmental issues is striking, and it gives his writing a calm authority. His tone is pragmatic in the best way- firm but not strident, convincing but never shrill. And he does more than criticize- he also offers well-thought-out solutions.”

Martin Dickson, FT’s US managing editor, commented: “As one of the world’s preeminent economic commentators, Martin’s column in the FT has become required reading for policymakers from Washington to Brussels to Beijing. He has the gifted columnist’s knack for cutting through complicated subject matters to explain an issue in a language that any reader can easily understand. At a time when so many of the important policy issues are highly technical, it’s a vitally important skill that we are pleased to see recognised by our peers at the OPC.”

Wolf’s past awards and honours include the RTZ David Watt memorial prize for 1994, the “Accenture Decade of Excellence” at the Business Journalist of the Year Awards for 2003, and the Wincott Foundation senior prize for excellence in financial journalism for 1989 and again in 1997, among many others. He has also been named a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) in 2000 for services to financial journalism.

More details on the OPC awards and a full list of this year’s winners are available here.