Faisal Islam was born 29 May 1977 in Manchester, England to Bengali parents originally from West Bengal, India. He grew up in Manchester, where his multicultural background and strong emphasis on education helped shape his interest in politics, economics, and journalism.

He attended the Manchester Grammar School before studying at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he completed his undergraduate degree. Islam later earned a postgraduate diploma in newspaper journalism from City, University of London in 2000, preparing him for a career in media.

Islam began his journalism career as an economics correspondent at The Observer, reporting on financial markets and economic policy. In 2004, he joined Channel 4 News as a business correspondent, later becoming the programme’s Economics Editor, covering major global financial stories.

In 2019, Islam joined BBC News as Economics Editor, where he reports on the UK economy, financial policy, and global markets. He also occasionally presents BBC programmes such as Newsnight.