Can you tell us a bit more about your current role and what it entails?
I joined Retail in Asia last September as the new Head of Publication. As such I am responsible for overseeing editorial and content, events and partnerships. From the editorial team to content partners, PRs and advertising partners I deal with a lot of different stakeholders on a daily basis. One of my responsibilities is to grow our community and ensure Retail in Asia becomes the go-to platform of the retail community in the region. I work with the Retail in Asia team, freelancer writers and content partners to ensure we deliver the best content to our readers. Together with the team we brainstorm how we can create a dialogue between the different players of the APAC retail community. This is why we have recently launched a new company directory that’s freely accessible on the Retail in Asia website. Last but not least, I am also in charge of paid partnerships and I am always trying to find compelling and creative ways to promote our partners.

How did you get into journalism?
I have always loved writing. I started my career as a PR and one of my favourite part of the job was writing press releases and editing interviews. When I moved to Hong Kong, I decided to launch a lifestyle news website. After a few years in a Marketing & Comms role, I am thrilled to work for a media outlet again.

What type of stories are your readers most interested in?
As a B2B platform we strive to deliver exclusive content that helps our readers make informed decisions in the APAC market they operate in. Our Intelligence stories (market analysis, key takeaways from industry reports, etc) are always very popular. Our interviews with retail leaders and experts perform extremely well too. Our seasonal rankings and monthly round-ups have also a large number of followers.

What do you look for in a good press release / pitch? What is the best way to contact you?
First of all I would like to say I always welcome press releases and pitches (and I do read everything!), so don’t hesitate to reach out to me! Relevancy is obviously key. We cover a wide range of topics - it includes (but is not limited to) market analysis, brand activations, digital innovations, channels, people, store openings, collaborations, and more.
Press releases and pitches that provide insights into the fast-developing retail industry will definitely catch my attention. We are always happy to grow our pool of contributors and welcome bylines and opinion pieces from retail experts however they have to be exclusive or at least contain elements of exclusivity.
Emails are definitely the best way to contact me. I might occasionally miss your emails so don’t hesitate to drop me a quick follow-up email.

Any new editorial plans in 2022?
We have been focusing on retail innovations in China, and aim to grow our content about the South East Asian e-commerce boom. We are excited to see what new collaborations 2022 will bring – be it offline or in the metaverse. Speaking of this, we will release a series of articles decrypting the metaverse. We want to introduce more interactivity and create a dialogue between retail players - this is why we will organise webinars throughout the year. Last but not least, we will continue our interviews with retail leaders and experts with a focus on emerging brands and designers who are driving tremendous shifts in retail in Asia. To echo this new editorial focus, we will launch the UPSTARTS Awards that aim to recognise and promote the new players in Asian retail, whether they are the brands themselves, the retail tech solutions transforming the industry, or the agency partners who support them. It also offers a platform for these newcomers to meet and exchange with the established retail players in Asia. Stay tuned for our UPSTARTS launch coming in April!