Islam was educated at Manchester Grammar School, a boys’ independent school in Manchester, followed by Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. In 2000, he gained a post-graduate Diploma in Newspaper Journalism from City University in London.
He was the Economics Editor of Channel 4 News, until 1 June 2014, when he was replaced by Paul Mason, the programme"s former Culture and Media Editor. Faisal Islam was 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.
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.
