Islam was formerly an economics correspondent for The Observer newspaper. He became business correspondent for Channel 4 News in May 2004, later becoming its economics editor, a position he held until 1 June 2014, when he was replaced by Paul Mason, the programme's former culture and media editor. Islam has reported on the ups and downs of the corporate world from government-subsidised arms dealers and failing PFI contracts to how bankers are trading weather. Islam was named as successor to the long-serving political editor Adam Boulton of Sky News; he took up his new post before the Scottish independence referendum took place in September 2014. Boulton now presents a mid-morning news programme, All Out Politics, on the same channel. In November 2018 it was announced that he would replace Kamal Ahmed as BBC News's economics editor, effective summer 2019. He was replaced at Sky News in his role as political editor by Beth Rigby, previously the deputy political editor.
Awards and nominations
In 2000, Islam was awarded the Wincott Award for Young Financial Journalist of the Year, and shortlisted for Young Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards for 2001. In February 2006, Islam was named Young Journalist of the Year at the Royal Society of Television awards. In January 2007, Islam was the winner of the year's Broadcast News Journalism Award at the Workworld Media Awards. In May 2009, Islam received the Wincott Foundation's award for Best Television Coverage of a Topical Issue, won particularly for his work on the growing financial problems of the Icelandic banks. The judges said of the report "...here was something really new, completely convincing, with a stellar interview and free of many of the visual clichés which characterised too many financial programmes." In 2009, he was awarded the Business Journalist of the Year, as well as the BJOYA award for Best Broadcast Story - again for his report on the Icelandic banks. In January 2010, Islam was named Broadcast News Reporter of the Year by the WorkWorld Foundation for 2009, with the judges saying "his excellent writing converts abstract economics to something accessible to all, informing viewers in a compelling and original way." In January 2015, Islam was nominated for the Services to Media award at the British Muslim Awards. In March 2017, he won the Royal Television Society award for the Interview of the Year for his interview with Prime Minister David Cameron.
