Isabel Hilton OBE

Isabel Hilton is a London based writer and broadcaster with a particular expertise on China. She has reported from Latin America, China, India, Pakistan, the Middle East, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, publishing in the Sunday Times, the Guardian, the Independent, the Financial Times, El Pais, the New York Times, the LA Times, the New Yorker, Granta and many other outlets. She presented the World Tonight, Nightwaves and several radio and television documentaries for the BBC and has authored and co-authored several books.

She founded the China Dialogue Trust in 2006, developing strategy, growing a worldwide readership, and developing workshops and field-building events.  She is currently visiting professor at KCL’s Lau Institute and a Contributing Editor to Prospect Magazine. She chairs the Centre for Investigative Journalism, co-chairs the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, serves on the advisory boards of the Great Britain China Centre, the Institute of Human Rights and Business and Bellwethers, and is a non-executive director of E3G.

Her work covers global politics, conflict, development, human rights, climate change and environmental degradation, and the impacts of a rising China. She participates in track 2 dialogues, including Konigswinter, the Club of 3, Ditchley Park and Wilton Park, the UK Canada Symposium and the British American Project. She has spoken at the World Economic Forum (China) and the Munich Security Forum, chaired the jury for the Lettres Ulysses Award for Literary Reportage, judged Amnesty International Media Awards, Kurt Schock awards and James Cameron Awards. She chaired the jury of the George Orwell Prize for Journalism in 2022 and the Baillie Gifford prize 2024. She regularly hosts festival and public events, including How the Light Gets In and Web Summit (Lisbon).

Isabel Hilton was appointed OBE in 2009 and holds honorary doctorates from Bradford and Stirling universities.