Rico Hizon is the news anchor of BBC World News´ daily business and finance program Asia Business Report and general news based Newsday live from Singapore and London, every weekday morning.
Produced out of Singapore, Asia Business Report offers viewers up to the minute economic and market news from the Asia-Pacific region, with in-depth analysis of the latest trends from the movers and shakers in the business world.
His reports have taken him all over the region from Hong Kong, to Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and the Philippines.
On Newsday, Rico reports on the latest political and social issues from the people who make the news, and also a thorough viewpoint from more than 200 BBC correspondents around the world, and its impact on the global scene.
In his almost 25 years as a broadcast journalist he is the only South East Asian to work for two of the world’s most prestigious global news networks CNBC Business News and BBC World News.
He has interviewed personalities in the financial, political and sporting world from Microsoft´s Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, Air Asia's Tony Fernandes, Virgin´s Sir Richard Branson, billionaire Warren Buffet, Hedge Fund managers George Soros, and Mark Mobius, Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, European Union President Jose Manuel Barroso, Nobel Prize Laureate Mohammad Yunus, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yughoyohono, U-S President Bill Clinton to Philippine President´s Fidel Ramos, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III.
In sports, he has interviewed celebrities such as World Boxing Champion Manny Pacquiao, NBA Superstars Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Grant Hill, David Robinson, top women golfers Michelle Wie and Lorena Ochoa.
In entertainment, Hollywood and Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, K-Pop phenomenon PSY, American Idol judge Steven Tyler, Musical stars Lea Salonga and Charice and pop music composer David Foster.
With keen interest in Asia’s booming economies and geo-political issues, Rico Hizon´s news programs on BBC World News are broadcast to more 300 million households worldwide.
Rico is a multi-awarded broadcast journalist. He garnered in 2012, the prestigious Rotary Club of Manila, Broadcast Journalist of the Year Award and was accorded a Doctorate Honoris Causa in Humanities by the University of Northeastern Philippines. In 2011, he was chosen one of Asia’s top news anchor’s at the Asian Television Awards. In 2010, People of the Year Awardee from People Asia Magazine. In 2009, a La Sallian Achievement Awardee for Global Journalism. In 2008, Presidential Awardee for excellence in International Journalism. In 2008, Bank of the Philippine Islands recognized Hizon for bringing honor and recognition to the Philippines with the BPinoy Award, and for advocating important Filipino values and principles. In 2006, he was awarded the The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Award for International Journalism and Community Service.
Hizon, who studied journalism and business at De La Salle University, started his broadcast career at Manila-based GMA Network, from 1988 to 1995, where he was responsible for covering capital markets, banking and finance, real estate, investment and corporate developments. He anchored the daily business program, Business Today, GMA News Live and Stock Market Live from the trading floor of the Philippine Stock Exchange.
Hizon then joined CNBC Asia in April 1995, based in Hong Kong and later in Singapore, where he was the main anchor of the morning edition of CNBC Today, Squawk Box, Market Watch and Power Lunch.
