Sophie Kamaruddin – News Anchor & Editor
“I get star-struck now and then,” Sophie Kamaruddin admits with a smile when we ask her how she stays so cool and calm while she’s live on air. As the lead anchor and editor for Bloomberg TV Malaysia, her programs Dashboard and Moving Malaysia have seen her speak with notable figures including Dato’ Saw Choo Boon and French businessman Mohed Altrad, and titans of the finance world such as Mark Mobius and Marc Faber.
You won’t see even a flicker of nerves when she’s in front of the camera, though. Sophie – who graduated from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University – is made of sterner stuff than that. “Once the show starts, I’m constantly thinking about what’s happening and what is to follow, while also keeping an eye on the terminal for breaking news. I’ve been doing this enough to have learned how to get into my ‘zen zone’ despite juggling several things in my head,” she explains.
Neither is she afraid to raise the questions that deserve attention, as demonstrated in a memorable interview earlier this year with 1MDB’s Arul Kanda, just as the fund was facing the possibility of defaulting on a bond payment. “Journalism is a noble profession that deserves more respect because it provides a service to the community, at times at personal risk,” Sophie says. “Caring about the story or having passion for what you’re covering helps inspire good questions, as well as knowing who you are hoping to reach. And above all, editorial integrity is an absolute priority for the newsroom.”
Given that the business news channel celebrated its first anniversary in April, there is plenty of room for expansion, with plans in the pipeline for more shows and a bigger team – a prospect Sophie welcomes: “Having access to information and analysis from across the Bloomberg network is amazing, as is being able to chat with accomplished folks about what they’re up to. I’ve learned so much about a diverse range of topics because of the data and resources available to our newsroom. I’m basically getting an education every day!”
