Ed Husain, Co-Founder and Co-Director of Quilliam, is the celebrated author of ‘The Islamist’, shortlisted for the George Orwell Prize for best political writing. Formerly an activist of Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT) and Jamat-e-Islam front organizations in the UK, Ed has now become a strong critic of extremism and Islamism. He is an advocate of Muslim engagement in mainstream politics as citizens, and not as separatist, anti-western polemical ideologues with Islamist agendas. He worked for the British Council in Syria and Saudi Arabia (2003-2005). Since publication of his book by Penguin in 2007, Ed regularly contributes to media discussions on Islam, Muslims, identity, terrorism, and multiculturalism, with articles published in The Times, The Guardian, The Observer, Sunday Times, Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, New Statesman and Prospect magazine.

Born and raised in London, Ed holds an MA in Middle East studies from SOAS, University of London, and is currently completing his PhD on Arab experiences of post-colonial secularism.  He is a member of the Fabian Society and Amnesty International.