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Audience of CNN will be acquainted with this name, Julia Chatterley, who is a renowned anchor and correspondent from CNN International. Since 2018, Julia has been hosting First Move with Julia Chatterley weekdays on CNN International. During her most recent visit to Hong Kong, The Standard had the privilege of conducting an exclusive interview with this prominent figure in the news industry. Julia enthusiastically shared her personal journey, experiences, and insights with our reporters during the engaging conversation.
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Hong Kong has emerged as a thriving center for economic and cultural development within Asia. Its strategic location and robust infrastructure make it a magnet for international businesses and investors. As a global financial hub, Hong Kong attracts major banks and multinational corporations. Moreover, its connectivity and accessibility position it as a gateway to the vast Asian market. These compelling attributes have enticed Julia to visit Hong Kong and provide updates on its dynamic growth and cultural vibrancy. Most importantly, her visit aligns with the relaunch of her show on CNN, First Move with Julia Chatterley, which has a renewed focus on Asia since January 2024.
First Move with Julia Chatterley
Julia explained that the show has a specific focus on Asia because she thinks that it is a fascinating part of the world. “It’s so diverse. It has different religions, vastly different economies and levels of economic growth and experience. Why wouldn’t I want to focus my show on Asia?”
Speaking of the vision and expectations for the program’s new focus, Julia responded, “My vision for First Move is to serve as a bridge between the East and the West. I aim to distill and present the news that is essential for starting your day in Asia. The stories, the people, the innovation, and the growth from this part of the world are incredibly exciting to me.”
When asked about some of the people who inspired her during the show, she answered “I think the aim of First Move has always been looking for rays of light and sunshine in times of conflict, worry, and uncertainty. For me, it’s through innovation, technology, and young people in particular.”
She continued, “Previously on the show, I interviewed a CEO who utilizes artificial intelligence to detect early stages of cancer, specifically prostate and breast cancer. I also spoke with another CEO who is revolutionizing the mining industry by searching for vital metals and minerals essential for renewable energy transformation, such as copper, cobalt, and lithium. Both individuals employ artificial intelligence to achieve these breakthroughs.”
Julia believed that these conversations, which give hope and highlight the remarkable contributions of young people, are the ones she particularly enjoys sharing with her viewers. “One of my goals of this show is to uncover stories of individuals who are striving to make a difference and change the world, regardless of the scale of their impact.”
Insights for the media landscape
When discussing her perspective on the future development of the media landscape in the Asia-Pacific region and the anticipated trends and challenges, she stated, “Globally, we find ourselves at a crucial juncture with the rapid acceleration of digital transformation, particularly within the past five years. We are all, to a certain extent, content creators. The influence of social media, regardless of the platform, cannot be overlooked. Consequently, we are experiencing a period of significant disruption, with different countries at varying stages of transformation.”
Furthermore, she acknowledged that we are confronted with the impact of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, as well as the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation. “On a personal level, I strive to be an anchor that people can depend on amidst this era of profound disruption,” she affirmed.
She also emphasized the significance of delivering up-to-date information to viewers, especially in the Asia-Pacific context, where changes occur at an unprecedented speed in the emerging economies, and facts and figures need to be closely monitored.
Julia concluded with a smile, stating, “I believe that maintaining an open mind is extremely crucial. I think the danger, particularly today, in this world where we’re overwhelmed with information and news, is that sometimes we lack context and we don’t listen enough. I hope as a journalist, one of my skills is that I listen more than anything and I learn.”
A journey to anchoring
As an experienced anchor and correspondent, Julia has covered numerous significant news stories across various fields, such as the worldwide impact of Covid-19 and pivotal transformative technologies in the financial sector, such as cryptocurrencies and global payments. Throughout her career, Julia has conducted interviews with key figures from diverse sectors, such as Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Huawei’s Chief Security Officer Andy Purdy, Delta CEO Ed Bastian, Emirates Airlines president Tim Clark, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.
However, Julia’s journey into anchoring did not begin immediately after her graduation from university. She pursued a major in Economics at the London School of Economics and subsequently embarked on a finance career at Morgan Stanley, having graduated with first-class honors. Julia spent seven years in the finance sector before taking a leap of faith and transitioning into journalism.
“I took a 95% pay cut and tried to get into journalism. I was employed by CNBC. Then I jumped to Bloomberg very briefly in New York. After that, CNN came to find me and now I’m home,” Julia recalled, highlighting the bold move that shaped her career trajectory.
Driven by a commitment to making complex subjects accessible, Julia’s thorough approach involves extensive reading and seeking diverse perspectives to present balanced and informative news to her audience.
“I overread according to some people. I call people and I get as much context and information because that’s a journalist’s job to try and find balance, understand all sides and then present the facts,” Julia explained, shedding light on her journalistic process.
In the end of the interview, Julia playfully told us that she will be staying till 11pm the next day. “Before catching my flight to London and back to New York, I’m gonna cram in as much as I can. I’ll visit M+ tomorrow and I am looking forward to it.”
When our reporters curiously asked about her overall experience during the visit, she exclaimed, “I have been to Hong Kong several times, and being here this week has reminded me of just how much I love the culture, the people, and the food!”
Julia further emphasized that she had learned a great deal in the 48 hours she spent in Hong Kong, engaging with people on the ground. “You can’t do great journalism without spending time here. And taking all that information back adds context to my reports.”
Lastly, to wrap up her journey in Asia, Julia expressed her excitement about visiting Hong Kong again, “I just love the opportunity to be back in Hong Kong and talk to people to update on what’s happening here.”
