BT’s Megan Cheah wins Most Promising Journalist of the Year award
Sias’ Investors’ Choice Awards 2024 honours 50 corporates and 12 individuals for their work in areas ranging from financial education to sustainability
MEGAN Cheah, a journalist just 15 months into her career with The Business Times, was on Tuesday (Sep 17) recognised for her work in financial journalism at the 2024 Investors’ Choice Awards of the Securities Investors Association (Singapore), or Sias.
She was one of two winners of the Most Promising Journalist of the Year award. The other was Money FM finance presenter Chua Tian Tian.
In all, 50 corporates and 12 individuals were presented with awards across seven categories at the event held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. The winners included those in corporate governance, sustainability, shareholder communications and transparency, and the best chief executives and retail brokers.
BT’s Cheah, soon to turn 27, was recognised for her stories on investing opportunities and trends in the market.
Sias founder, president and CEO David Gerald said she brought important issues to light in the past year. This includes her comprehensive reporting on the lapses at cord-blood bank Cordlife – from breaking the initial news, to following up with customers and covering the legal preparations for a class-action suit.
“Your dedication to chasing down leads, readiness to ask the tough questions, and tenacity in pursuing stories have set you apart as a reporter who can be relied upon,” he said.
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Chen Huifen, editor of BT, said: “We are proud of Megan and happy that BT’s contribution to business journalism is being recognised.”
She added that niche journalism may not appeal to the masses, but said it is still laborious work.
“We are grateful that Sias provides the platform to highlight quality work and conscientious individuals like Megan who help to make sense of events and changes around us.”
Cheah said: “Examining breaking news through the lens of investors is what our work at BT is built on.
“I’m grateful to my editors for guiding me, and to my team for their unwavering support.”
This year, Sias marks its 25th anniversary as an advocate of investor education, corporate governance and transparency, and investor rights in Singapore.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Gerald noted that the organisation has become an “important linchpin” in Singapore’s financial market ecosystem, by ensuring the integrity and robustness of the capital market.
Looking ahead, he said Sias will focus on a fourth “R” – “rejuvenation” – on top of three other areas, namely, “recovery”, “restoration” and “rebuilding”.
“Rejuvenation is centred on building liquidity in the capital market. We plan to equip more people to invest with knowledge, especially first-time investors,” he said.
He hopes to expand the universe of investors and grow assets under management in the Singapore capital market.
“This will be our commitment to reviving Singapore’s equities markets,” he said.
Other journalists from SPH Media Trust (SMT) also bagged awards for financial journalism at the event.
Lianhe Zaobao’s business correspondent Tan Chee Yun won the award for Financial Journalist of the Year; The Straits Times’ senior correspondent Joyce Lim bagged the Financial Story of the Year prize.
The Straits Times’ senior business correspondent Chor Khieng Yuit was named Investor Education Journalist of the Year, and Lianhe Zaobao associate business editor Hu Yuan Wen won a Special Award.
Winners from beyond SMT were The Edge Singapore associate editor Samatha Chiew (Financial Journalist of the Year); a team from The Edge Singapore (Financial Story of the Year), and CNA Money Mind senior producer Jake Ho (Special Award).
Sias also launched a new Investment Blog Award, which honours top websites providing insights on investing and financial news that make an impact on investment decisions. Dr Wealth, an online platform that runs financial education courses, won the inaugural award.
Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam was the guest of honour at the awards ceremony. The event was also attended by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong as a special guest, and around 800 corporate leaders, regulators, media and investors.
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