We’re thrilled to welcome two latest correspondents to the Asia crew: David Pierson and Alex Travelli, who each bring a wealth of data and experience within the region. David joins us as China correspondent, after 22 years at The Los Angeles Times, including stints covering China and Southeast Asia. And Alex Travelli might be taking up the role of South Asia business correspondent, having been a longtime author and editor at The Economist in Hong Kong and India.
And Chris Buckley – a senior correspondent who has been a force behind our coverage of Xi Jinping’s rule, Covid Zero, the Chinese military, and, well, most things China – is headed to Taiwan later this 12 months, after camping out in Australia following his expulsion from Beijing in 2020.
We were lucky to lure David away from The Los Angeles Times. Aside from a part-time gig at Newsday and a summer with The Fire Island News, he has spent almost his entire profession there, and has worked for nearly every section, including Metro, Business and International.
Starting in 2009, he spent 4 years because the paper’s China business correspondent, writing in regards to the unique way Beijingers embraced Ikea, China’s flourishing online culture and a garment maker’s retort to the controversy over the U.S. Olympic uniforms’ “Made in China” label. After a stint back in California, he returned to the region in 2018, as a Southeast Asia correspondent, writing about the lives of young people upended by the backslide of democracy, a Hong Kong family’s anguish over whether to immigrate, and the backlash against Singapore’s cuddly otters. “David is a complete pro: sharp eye for stories, smooth author, generous with colleagues and absolutely drama-free. And he’s a Mets fan, so he’s got an important humorousness,” said Shashank Bengali, an editor on Live in London, who worked with David at The L.A. Times.
David is rooted within the region, having been born and raised in Hong Kong, where his mother moved from Guangzhou as a young girl. He still consults her for all things Chinese culture, history and food. David might be based in Singapore for the subsequent 12 months, and can then relocate to Hong Kong.
Alex, our latest South Asia business correspondent, joins us from The Economist, where he has been writing and editing from Delhi since 2013. He’s covered all of it: India’s national elections, the Covid crisis, demonetization, border clashes, agrarian reform, the booming startup culture. He has tended to search out even greater inspiration in off-piste areas: the informal credit system at the bottom of the global diamond trade; Uttar Pradesh’s rough-and-tumble meat-export business; and the prospect of jungle-based distilleries going international.
“Alex is a clever, worldly reporter with a pointy eye,” said Jason Karaian, the news director for Business, who once worked with Alex. “Just as importantly, he’s a friendly, generous colleague who’s an eager collaborator whether you’re in the identical room with him or 1000’s of miles away.”
Alex was drawn to the region within the Nineteen Nineties, during an instructional fellowship in India and
Pakistan. Two years later, he returned to Delhi to freelance, later joined ABC News as a researcher and author, after which had an extended stint in Kuwait as a field producer. He joined The Economist in 2004, first working in Recent York after which Hong Kong, before coming back to Delhi. Alex will start in January in Delhi.
Please join us in congratulating the team.
Phil, Ellen, Adrienne, Andy & Gillian
