Financial services journalist since 1999, senior journalist @smsmagazine at present - but views are my own.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I worked on street magazines in London telling backpackers about cheap holiday destinations and which pubs had the cheapest pint.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Not professionally but did learn to type on one in high school
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Tintin - the place's he has been!
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Laptop, Ipad, phone, and pen and paper. Otter AI is great for transcribing long interviews and social media for getting the feel of an issue.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, but I worked on the student newspaper at university and did everything from writing, taking photos and laying out pages.
When's the best time to pitch you?
In the morning.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Any pitch that is not related to the area I cover is bad. It is not too hard to find out what I cover and pitch accordingly.
What's your favorite drink?
Tea in the morning, coffee after 10am and beer/gin after 5pm
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Reading a book, listening to a podcast or living in the analogue world.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Its boring - it is technical but there are plenty of details and nuances to cover.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.