Born: 1980 (Kailua, Honolulu County, Hawaii)
Biography:
Emily Hsiu-Ching Chang, born on August 11, 1980, is an American journalist, executive producer, and author. With a focus on global technology, Chang has made a significant impact on the field. She has not only been an anchor and executive producer of Bloomberg Technology, a daily TV show, but she has also spearheaded Studio 1.0, where she engages in regular conversations with top executives, investors, and entrepreneurs. Furthermore, Chang is the author of the book Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley, which highlights the issue of sexism and gender inequality in the tech industry.
From her early life, it is evident that Chang was destined for success. Born in Kailua, Honolulu County, Hawaii, she was the daughter of Sandra Galeone Chang and the late Laban Lee Bun Chang. Her father, originally from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, worked as a lawyer. Growing up in Kailua, Hawaii, Chang attended Punahou School, from which she graduated in 1998.
Chang’s academic journey continued at Harvard University, where she pursued a degree in social studies. In 2002, she graduated magna cum laude with an A.B. degree. These formative years helped lay the foundation for her future endeavors.
Chang’s journalism career began at NBC, where she worked as a news producer in New York. She then moved to KNSD, NBC’s affiliate in San Diego, California, where she served as a reporter. At KNSD, she filed reports for MSNBC and received five regional Emmy Awards. With her talents evident, she caught the attention of CNN, leading to her joining the network in 2007.
From 2007 to 2010, Chang made her mark as an international correspondent for CNN. Her base of operations was in Beijing and London, where she covered various notable stories. In Beijing, she reported on the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China’s economic transformation, and the environmental consequences it yielded. Chang also covered significant events such as the 2008 South China floods, the aftermath of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. She even witnessed President Obama’s historic visit to Asia. However, it was during Obama’s visit to Shanghai that Chang faced a challenging moment. She was briefly detained by the police for covering the banned Oba-mao T-shirt, which depicted the American President dressed in iconic Red Army attire.
In London, Chang continued to excel in her reporting. She covered European and international news for CNN’s American Morning, putting her front and center for events like the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. One of her notable achievements during this time was conducting a one-on-one interview with Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister of Pakistan, just weeks before her tragic assassination.
Chang’s career reached new heights when she joined Bloomberg Television in 2010. She became the anchor of Bloomberg West on February 28, 2011, making it the only network or cable TV show based in San Francisco, California. The daily show, which eventually evolved into Bloomberg Technology, allowed Chang to showcase her skills through original reporting and interviews with technology industry newsmakers. She sat down with top tech executives, investors, and entrepreneurs, including the likes of Tim Cook (Apple CEO), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook CEO), Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook COO), Eric Schmidt (former Google Executive Chairman), Jack Dorsey (Twitter co-founder), Bob Iger (former Disney CEO), Marissa Mayer (former Yahoo! CEO), and Jack Ma (Alibaba founder and executive chairman).
Chang’s impact on the tech industry cannot be understated. Through her work as an anchor, executive producer, and author, she has shed light on the pervasive issue of sexism and gender inequality in Silicon Valley. Her book, Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley, has furthered the conversation surrounding these issues, encouraging change and promoting inclusivity in the industry.
Awards:
– Five regional Emmy Awards for reporting at KNSD, NBC’s affiliate in San Diego, California.