Rupert Walker, associate editor at FinanceAsia, has won an institutional journalism award for his work on regulation and critiques of public figures such as Nobel Prize economics winner Joseph Stiglitz.
The five independent judges at the inaugural State Street Press Awards Asia Pacific gave Walker the award for Best Editorial Comment. One of his most popular opinion pieces this year drew on the similarities between professional cycling and the financial industry — namely, that both share a damaging code of silence.
The article also included his personal experience as a whistleblower. Walker recalled how a comment to the press about the Ponzi-type features of split-capital investment trusts, while he was working in London as a fund manager, led to front-page coverage and dismissal for gross misconduct.
That turn of events led Walker into journalism, so it is fitting that he should win an award in part for his writing on whistleblowing.
It was a good day for Haymarket Financial Titles, publishers of AsianInvestor, FinanceAsia and Corporate Treasurer.
Jame DiBiasio, editor of AsianInvestor, was cited for his outstanding contribution to institutional journalism at the awards.
The five independent judges unanimously voted for DiBiasio for his role in helping found AsianInvestor in 2000, creating an online and print publication that has raised the editorial commitment to quality and high standards.
He also was named Journalist of the Year for pensions issues, based on feature stories including coverage of the AIJ scandal’s impact on Japanese retirement schemes and the introduction of limited employee choice for Hong Kong’s Mandatory Provident Fund.
Daniel Flatt, editor of Corporate Treasurer, was highly commended for best editorial comment under the pseudonym Clipper, including coverage of the politics behind New York’s charges against Standard Chartered over allowing cash transfers to Iran.
This is the first year State Street has sponsored its institutional press awards in Asia, attracting 91 submissions for seven categories from across the region. The London-based version of the awards are in their second decade. One category had no winner, leaving six main awards — with Haymarket editors taking half.
