Welcome to the fourth edition of Conversations For Our Future! In this interview series we’ll be hearing from a diverse set of voices on how we can harness the pandemic to build a new global normal. I’ll be asking each interviewee the same three questions:
What one aspect within your sector have you seen transformed due to the pandemic?
In your opinion, has/will the pandemic change how we function as a society? If so, how?
How do you hope to personally harness the pandemic to create positive change?
My guest today is Angie Lau, the co-founder of Forkast.News. Continue below to hear Angie’s insights on the Coronavirus pandemic!
Introduction
About Angie
Angie Lau is an award-winning global journalist and business thought leader based in Asia’s most dynamic business hub Hong Kong, and co-founded Forkast.News — a digital media platform that focuses on all things blockchain, where she is Chief and Lead Anchor. She is a professional emcee, moderator, and sought-after speaker at top financial, leadership, economic and blockchain conferences in the world.
Angie was most recently was one of Bloomberg Television’s key anchors. She is also a renowned speaker, and shares her talents with AAJA Asia Chapter, FCC, The Women’s Foundation and other organizations where she serves as mentor and advisor. Angie currently serves on the Executive Committee, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong and on the Board of AAJA Asia. Angie has given speeches and leadership talks to groups such as The Women’s Foundation, Harvey Nash Women’s Directorship Program, and Pinsent Masons. She has media trained and helped framed strategic communications for CEOs and founders of startups to high-level executives from Walmart, UBS, Li Ka Shing Foundation, Horizons Ventures, and others. Her TEDx Talk “I Am Not Supposed to Be Here” was turned into a TED Ed Lesson for its global audience of 6.7 million followers.
She is a valued past Correspondent Board Governor at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Hong Kong, and she serves on advisory board for JMSC at HKU. As such, she remains an influential voice among international media colleagues and peers in the APAC region and abroad.
Questions
What one aspect within your sector have you seen transformed due to the pandemic?
Angie: Covid-19 has accelerated firms to embrace change, and pivot. Whereas blockchain, cryptocurrencies, digital assets and emerging technology space was once the space of enthusiasts — the Covid-hit global economic environment has more mainstream audience wanting to engage seriously, to diversify in a time of great volatility. But more broadly, it also speaks to what global firms are now recognizing as critical to survival: digital transformation.
In your opinion, has/will the pandemic change how we function as a global society? If so, how?
Angie: Absolutely. We’ve all changed irrevocably. What once was, will never be. It can only be a reference and a guide. But for the first time, we are experiencing a universal event. This pandemic knows no boundaries, draws no lines. And so, it is my hope that this shared awful experience unites us in the best way, to help us realize what’s truly important. To seize on the chance to create new standards, that better build upon the old ways that weren’t always efficient, equal, nor balanced.
How do you hope to personally harness the pandemic to create positive change?
Angie: We make choices every day. The change we wish to see happen incrementally sometimes. And so I choose to see the unexpected gift of more time with family, creative new workflows as opportunities to develop new synapses, better systems.