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November 6, 2018updated 30 Sep 2022 7:02am

‘Numbers man’ Faisal Islam leaves Sky News political editor job to take on role as BBC economics editor

By Freddy Mayhew

Sky News political editor Faisal Islam has been appointed as the new economics editor for BBC News, replacing Kamal Ahmed who has a new senior management role as editorial director.

Islam starts his new role in the New Year. He was previously the economics editor for Channel 4 News and economics correspondent at The Observer.

He said: “It is a great honour to be taking up this crucial role at the BBC at this critical moment in the country’s economic history.

“Economics has been the heart of how I have viewed the rapid changes here and around the world over the past two decades – the best lens on the world.

“I am at heart a numbers man and I look forward to sharing the numbers stories that matter for all of the BBC’s viewers, listeners and readers over the years to come.”

During his journalism career, Islam has interviewed everyone from the Prime Minister to the president of the World Bank. He won Interview of the Year at last year’s 2017 Royal Television Society TV journalism awards.

BBC News director Fran Unsworth said: “Faisal has serious economic and political pedigree.

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“I look forward to him being at the forefront of our reporting and presenting of economics at a critical time, working across all platforms in BBC News, documentaries and our other landmark programming.”

Picture: BBC

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