Hany El Banna is co-founder and President of Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW). In 2004, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II, the Ibn Khaldun Award for Excellence in Promoting Understanding between Global Cultures and Faiths (UK), and a service award from the Egyptian Medical Syndicate. In 2005 he received the Kashmiri and Pakistani Professional Association Award, in 2006 he was awarded the Asian Jewel Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2007, the UK Muslim Power 100 gave him their lifetime achievement award. He is a member of the Three Faiths Forum (UK), the West-Islamic World Dialogue Council of 100 Leaders group. Dr El Banna is a trustee of the Disasters Emergency Committee (UK) and a member of The Advisory Group to the International Department of The Charity Commission (UK). He initiated the Humanitarian Forum, which seeks to build bridges between Muslim and non-Muslim-run NGOs. Born in Egypt, Dr El Banna completed his MBBCH Medicine at Al Azhar University, Cairo, where he also obtained a Diploma in Islamic Studies in 1976. He was awarded the Hamilton Bailey Prize for Pathology 1981 and went on to complete his medical training to become a Doctor of Medicine 1991.