Ian King: From the City Trading Floor to Sky News

Introduction

Ian King is a British business journalist, broadcaster and newspaper writer best known for his long run as a Sky News business presenter.

His route into journalism was unusual. He studied history, worked in banking, trained as a reporter, then built a newspaper career covering money and companies.

Television came much later.

King joined Sky News in April 2014. By the time he left in April 2025, he had presented more than 2,000 editions of his business programme. His work did not stop there. During 2025 and 2026, he wrote the CNBC UK Exchange newsletter, and he has also continued writing business commentary for The Times.

Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Full Name	Ian King
Profession	Business journalist, broadcaster and writer
Nationality	British
Known For	Presenting business coverage on Sky News
Sky News Career	April 2014 to April 2025
Sky Programme	Ian King Live; later Business Live with Ian King
University	University of Manchester
Degree	History
Journalism Training	Postgraduate diploma in newspaper journalism, City University
Earlier Career	Midland Bank
Former Newspapers	The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Mail on Sunday, The Sun, The Times
Former Times Role	Business and City Editor
Main Reporting Areas	Business, markets, banking and economics

Who Is Ian King?

Ian King has spent much of his working life reporting on British business.

He covered companies before television. Long before that, he worked inside banking.

That matters to his career story.

King went from a City trading floor to national newspapers, then moved into television after about two decades in print journalism. His Sky programme put him in front of business leaders, economists and senior public figures on a regular basis.

Sky says King interviewed around two-thirds of FTSE 100 chief executives during his time with the broadcaster.

His reporting also covered interest rates, company results, takeovers, financial markets, government economic decisions and changes affecting British businesses.

Education and Early Career

King attended Park School in North Devon and left in 1983.

He then studied A-level subjects at North Devon College before going to the University of Manchester, where he studied History.

His university years included journalism too.

King took a year out to edit The Mancunion, the University of Manchester students’ union newspaper. He graduated in 1989.

He did not immediately become a full-time journalist.

Actually, his next move was banking.

King joined Midland Bank and spent part of his time working on a trading floor in the City of London. He later changed direction and completed a postgraduate diploma in newspaper journalism at City University.

That change started his reporting career.

From Banking to Financial Journalism

After journalism training, King joined The Daily Telegraph as a business reporter.

He later worked for The Guardian and the Mail on Sunday. These jobs kept his reporting close to companies, markets and finance.

He then became business editor at The Sun.

Sky’s profile says he took that job in 2000. During his newspaper years, King received industry recognition for his business reporting. Sky records awards connected with the 2005 UK Press Awards and the 2007 London Press Club Awards.

The next big move came in 2008.

His Years at The Times

King joined The Times in 2008 as deputy business editor.

At the beginning of 2011, he became the newspaper’s Business and City Editor. His department was later named business team of the year at the 2012 UK Press Awards, according to Sky News.

By this point, King was already an experienced financial reporter.

Basically, his beat stayed close to the same subjects: companies, money, markets and the UK economy.

Then television changed his daily work.

Ian King at Sky News

King joined Sky News as business presenter in April 2014.

His first edition of Ian King Live aired on 2 June 2014 from Sky’s City studio in the Gherkin in London. King later recalled that first broadcast in the article marking his departure from Sky.

The format centred on business interviews and financial news.

King spoke with company bosses, economists, policymakers and other people involved in major business stories. He also provided analysis when large economic or corporate stories broke.

The show did not stay inside one studio.

King wrote that it was sometimes taken to trading floors, farms, fishing ports and other locations linked to the stories being covered.

The programme’s name changed too.

At the end of June 2023, Ian King Live became Business Live with Ian King.

What He Covered at Sky

King’s Sky years included some of the biggest economic stories affecting Britain and global markets.

His reporting period covered major changes in banking, company ownership, technology, trade and interest rates.

He also reported through major shocks affecting businesses and investors.

His own final Sky article looked back at how much markets had changed between 2014 and 2025. It also reflected on the people and events he had covered during those 11 years.

His beat was wide.

But business stayed at the centre.

Leaving Sky News

King left Sky News in April 2025 after about 11 years with the broadcaster.

His final Sky article was published on 30 April 2025.

By then, he said he had presented more than 2,000 editions of his programme.

That ended one long part of his career.

It did not end his business writing.

Work After Sky News

After leaving Sky, King became involved with CNBC UK Exchange, a newsletter focused on British business, markets and the economy.

The newsletter ran for a little over 15 months.

Its final edition appeared on 19 August 2026. King used that last issue to look back at Britain’s economic conditions during the newsletter’s run and thanked readers who had followed it.

King has also continued writing for The Times.

A column published on 14 August 2026 discussed the relationship between Downing Street and the Treasury and identified King as a former Business and City Editor of The Times.

So, as of October 2026, describing him simply as a current Sky presenter would be wrong.

He is a former Sky News business presenter who continues to write and comment on business and economic affairs.

Awards and Professional Recognition

King received recognition for his financial journalism during his newspaper career.

Sky News records that he was named business journalist of the year at the 2005 UK Press Awards and again at the 2007 London Press Club Awards.

His work at The Times also formed part of a newsroom that received recognition.

The business department was named business team of the year at the 2012 UK Press Awards while King was Business and City Editor.

A Career Built Around Business

There is a clear thread through King’s work.

He started inside banking.

Then he reported on finance.

Later, he interviewed many of the people running large businesses.

Newspapers gave him years of reporting experience before Sky put that work on television. His later CNBC and Times work kept him close to the same subject areas after his departure from Sky.

It is a long career.

And a fairly consistent one.

Companies, markets and economics have remained the main focus.

Final Thought

Ian King’s career moved from banking to newspapers and then television, but business reporting stayed at the centre of it.

His 11 years at Sky News made him especially familiar to viewers following companies, markets and the British economy. More than 2,000 programme editions is a substantial body of broadcast work.

After leaving Sky in 2025, King kept writing.

His CNBC work continued until August 2026, while his recent Times columns show that his connection with financial journalism remains active.

FAQs

Who is Ian King?

Ian King is a British business journalist, broadcaster and writer. He is best known for presenting business news on Sky News from 2014 until 2025.

Is Ian King still on Sky News?

No. King left Sky News in April 2025 after around 11 years with the broadcaster. His final Sky article was published on 30 April 2025.

What was Ian King’s Sky News programme called?

His programme was originally called Ian King Live. It was renamed Business Live with Ian King in June 2023.

Where did Ian King study?

He studied History at the University of Manchester. He later completed postgraduate newspaper journalism training at City University.

Did Ian King work in banking?

Yes. Before becoming a journalist, he worked for Midland Bank, including time on a trading floor in the City of London.

Which newspapers has Ian King worked for?

His newspaper career includes work at The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Mail on Sunday, The Sun and The Times.

What did Ian King do after leaving Sky News?

He wrote CNBC UK Exchange, which ran until its final edition on 19 August 2026. He has also continued writing business commentary for The Times.

What subjects does Ian King cover?

His work mainly covers business, companies, banking, financial markets and economics.