The Role
The Financial Times is seeking a Singapore Correspondent to cover one of the world’s most important financial centres. Normally operating solo - although in close cooperation with the SE Asia correspondent and the finance team around the world - the role covers everything from investment banks to oil trading and local politics. For an enterprising reporter, the scope is wide-reaching.
Singapore has evolved into one of Asia’s main financial hubs, and after recent setbacks to Hong Kong, its share of regional trading and banking activity is on the rise. All of that deal-making is of core interest to the FT, as are the numerous entrepreneurs and family offices, most especially from China, that have set up shop in the city-state. Singapore’s status as an offshore hub means it also attracts its share of colourful characters and dubious behaviour: from the collapse of Barings to the Wirecard scandal, significant parts of the action were in Singapore.
The city is not just a centre for making deals; it is an important player itself. Temasek and GIC are role models for many of the world’s sovereign wealth funds and their activity is another important source of stories. Singapore’s much-admired social model, and the tensions that exist in Singaporean society nonetheless, are also of great interest to the outside world.
The Singapore correspondent also has responsibility for Malaysia, which is having a resurgence in the semiconductor industry, and charting an independent course in regional geopolitics. There may also be opportunities to cover stories elsewhere in SE Asia, especially when following supply chains and deals that pass through Singapore.
News is the heart of the job - and you will find strong demand from FT editors - but we want and expect the correspondent to write across a range of formats, from sharp analysis to magazine features. There will be opportunities for travel. Singapore is also an important venue for FT Live and you will be asked to represent the FT at events.
Your Skills
The core of the job is writing and reporting. You will have extensive experience as a journalist, most likely in financial reporting or as a foreign correspondent, with a demonstrated ability to cultivate sources and break news. You should be able to write for all parts of the website and newspaper, from strong spot news to deft analysis on a range of subjects.
You will be highly motivated and full of ideas for stories, not just waiting for the news to arrive. Good communication skills are important. You should regularly pitch ideas to editors in Hong Kong and deliver copy when promised. You should also be collegiate: forging a close relationship with FT correspondents across the region will be crucial to your success.
Singapore is one of the world’s wealthiest cities and a comfortable place to live. The reporting environment, however, does require a degree of resilience. The state maintains tight control over the local media. Some information may not be publicly announced or readily available, requiring a correspondent to work hard and keep up their sources in order to stay in the game.
