John Hilary is the author of Magnates and Masterpieces: The German-Jewish Collectors of Edwardian Britain, published in November 2025, and From Refugees to Royalty: The Remarkable Story of the Messel Family of Nymans, published in May 2021. He is an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham and was for many years the Executive Director of the charity War on Want. He has written widely on global issues over the past 25 years, with regular appearances in the Guardian, Independent, New Internationalist and specialist journals.