In this edition of our Reporters on the Record series, we spoke with Chris Kentouris, Editor-In-Chief at FinOps Report.
In our conversation with Chris, we learn how she worked her way up from an editorial assistant role to becoming a financial reporter, why providing actionable insights keeps her passionate about the industry, and what career milestones she is most proud of.
How did you get your start in financial journalism?
I started out by accepting a position as an editorial assistant at Fairchild Publications’ News Service and working my way up to being a financial reporter for WWD, DNR, and Footwear News in less than two years. Subsequently, I became the operations and international editor of Securities Industry Daily, and successor publications Securities Industry News and Securities Technology Monitor, which fell under the umbrella of Source Media.
Why do you find passion in journalism?
Finding passion in financial journalism provides actionable insights for my readers. It isn’t enough to offer the facts about a regulation, event or trend. C-level executives in the front, middle and back-offices of fund management firms, custodian banks and broker-dealers worldwide need to understand the best course of action to take to reduce their firms’ legal, operational and financial risks.
What is something in your journalism career that you are proud of?
There are three aspects of a journalist’s career for which I am truly proud. The first is being part of a team which won the national Jesse Neal Award in B2B journalism for coverage of September 11 (9/11). My predecessor securities industry publication was able to explain in detail what happened to specific individuals working at the World Trade Center. We distinguished ourselves from far larger national publications by analyzing the human aspect of 9/11 to provide a compelling tale of courage and tragedy. The second aspect is being the first U.S. female journalist to moderate a panel at SWIFT’s SIBOS conference in Copenhagen. Coordinating the responses of multiple panelists through an interactive discussion with the audience was rewarding. The third is starting FinOps Report (finopsinfo.com) to address the entire trade lifecycle. The topics include artificial intelligence, crypto assets, cybersecurity, data management, financial technology, regulatory compliance and trade secrets.
From your perspective, how can public relations (PR) practitioners best craft engaging pitches?
Public relations practitioners should adapt their pitches to each publication by including a one paragraph explanation of how their topics affect a reporter’s readers and by recommending specific relevant angles. Understandably many PR practitioners take a one-to-many approach in e-mailing the same pitch letter to multiple publications hoping that someone will be interested in a topic. Unfortunately, that is an ineffective methodology because it does not always generate well-written articles.
What do you like to do in your free time?
One of my pastimes is working with global non-profits to assist disadvantaged children and adults. I enjoy speaking Greek and Spanish, while studying Italian and German. People find it surprising that I also enjoy singing and acting.