從新傳到財經

「我對樓市和股市有種抗拒，我不喜歡當中的投機行為，但我現在從事金融！」這個開自己玩笑的人是潘志恆，他在新傳畢業後，不但做過多年財經記者，現在更是標普全球市場財智的亞太和拉丁美洲地區洞察與分析負責人，主管經濟預測及國家政治風險分析。這些其實都不屬他計劃之內，他只是相信，機會來到就把它做好，「然後你會遇上自己的命運。」

命運的起點在本科。潘志恆笑言當時「不知道何來的自信」、「最難入的科就報讀」，加上不想讀商科，就此入了新傳。他後來卻發現這是「最適合的選擇」，因為自己擅長語言表達、邏輯思考，喜歡分析不同因素和現象之間的關係，而這些正是作為記者需具備的特質。他畢業後成為港聞記者，因為能力得到肯定，他更樂在其中，「我喜歡一些突發事情，需要很快回應，而且要跟他人交流，我覺得很好玩！」

其後他卻轉職財經記者。他形容這轉向出於偶然，接受皆因不抗拒學習機會，漸漸發現財經有不同面向，除了樓市、股市，還有總體經濟，「錢的流向也反映政治風向的轉變」。他找到財經新聞的意義，一步步由記者做到社長，再入職標普新聞部，繼而被上司發掘才能，轉往研究範疇至今。

回望來時的路，潘志恆笑言：「我到現在都想做記者！」但也覺得現時工作很有趣、富挑戰性，「除了要即時回應和分析，還要作出合理預測，這是做記者時不需要的，於我也是很好的學習機會。」

潘志恆憶述上司曾跟他說，要把研究分析寫好，關鍵之一是不在文中反映個人立場，這與他的想法不謀而合，「做記者時，我不希望別人會從我的報導，看到我的政治取態，因為我的功能是提供資料，然後讓你自己判斷。現在做研究更需中立。我理解中立性的重要，這是在新傳學到的。」

簡介：
潘志恆，1999年香港中文大學新聞與傳播學院本科畢業，曾任道瓊金融通訊社台北社長、華爾街日報分部社長等，現為標普全球市場財智亞太和拉丁美洲地區洞察與分析負責人。

From Journalism to Finance: An Unexpected Journey

“I have an aversion to property and stock markets—I dislike the speculation involved—yet here I am working in finance!” jokes Aries Poon, who has carved an unexpected career path since graduating from the School of Journalism and Communication. Not only did he spend years as a financial journalist, but he now serves as Head of Asia-Pacific and Latin America Insights and Analysis at S&P Global Market Intelligence, overseeing economic forecasting and political risk analysis. None of this was in his original game plan. His philosophy is simple: when opportunities arise, make the most of them, “and then your destiny will find you.”

His journey began during his college years. Poon laughs about having “inexplicable confidence” when he “applied for the most competitive program.” Avoiding business studies, he landed in journalism—a decision that proved surprisingly fitting. His natural talent for verbal expression and logical reasoning, coupled with his passion for analyzing relationships between different factors, aligned perfectly with journalism’s core requirements. After graduation, he thrived as a local news reporter, earning recognition for his abilities. “I love responding to breaking news—the adrenaline rush, the quick thinking, the human interaction. It’s exhilarating!”

The pivot to financial journalism happened by chance. Poon embraced this shift because he was open to learning opportunities. Over time, he discovered finance’s multifaceted nature beyond property and stocks, including the fascinating world of macroeconomics. “The flow of capital often reveals shifting political winds,” he notes. Finding deeper meaning in financial reporting, his career steadily progressed from reporter to bureau chief, then to S&P’s news department, where his supervisor recognized his analytical talents and steered him toward research.

Reflecting on his professional journey, Poon quips: “Deep down, I still want to be a journalist!” Nevertheless, he finds his current role intellectually stimulating and challenging. “My job now goes beyond immediate analysis—I need to make reasonable predictions about future trends, something journalism never required. It’s been an incredible learning curve.”

Poon recalls valuable advice from his supervisor: effective research analysis requires keeping personal opinions out of the writing. This resonated with his journalistic principles: “As a reporter, I never wanted readers to detect my political leanings through my stories. My role was to provide information and let readers form their own judgments. Research demands even greater neutrality. Understanding the importance of impartiality—that’s something my journalism education instilled in me.”

Profile:
Aries Poon graduated from the School of Journalism and Communication at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1999. His previous roles include Taipei Bureau Chief for Dow Jones Newswires and Bureau Chief for a Wall Street Journal division. Currently, he serves as Head of Asia-Pacific and Latin America Insights and Analysis at S&P Global Market Intelligence.