Here at Kettle we want to celebrate the women in business that take charge of their careers and inspire both women AND men to be proactive, switched on and passionate about what they do.
Francine Lacqua is an award-winning anchor and editor-at-large for Bloomberg Television. The American-based international cable and satellite business is distributed globally and reaches over 310 million homes worldwide. Having risen through the ranks from producing, reporting and presenting, Francine is now firmly cemented at the helm of Bloomberg’s London headquarters.
Since joining Bloomberg in 2000, Francine has covered the World Economic Forum in Davos, IMF in Washington, G20 meetings, the EU leaders summit and OPEC. Francine has also interviewed notable figureheads including David Cameron and the former Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti. She also hosts ‘Eye to Eye,’ a series that includes interviews with top CEOs, entrepreneurs and public figures inside the London Eye.
In 2013 Francine was awarded ‘International TV Personality of the Year’ at the Association of International Broadcasting awards.
We find out what a day in the life of a TV anchor and editor consists of:
What’s a typical day for you? (How busy/varied/challenging?)
I’m usually in the office by 5:30am, read up on the news, discuss the news flow with my producers, get my hair and make-up done and read up on what’s happening on social media. I’m on air from 9am-11am and then do interviews during the day, go to events and have lunches with my contacts. My days are very different – they can range from going to a Burberry fashion show, listening to Barack Obama at a press conference at Downing Street or interviewing a bank CEO at Canary Wharf. I don’t really have a typical day, and often finish late when I attend events or dinners. I try to limit my evening dos to three times a week, so I spend some family time with my two boys and husband.
You interview a whole host of people. What has been your most successful interview? Why?
I do many interviews and try to make them all successful – but they’re all so different it is difficult to say which is my most successful. I interviewed Bill Clinton ten years ago, and that was for me one of the hardest as I had little experience and I was probably a bit nervous. We spoke about currency wars and it was for me one of my most successful both in terms of breaking news, but also on a personal level. I was very young and when it finished I thought ‘I can do this. I love doing interviews’. Since then, I’ve interviewed Gordon Brown, David Cameron, George Soros, the Italian and French Prime Ministers and many others. The most successful interviews are the ones I remember. And breaking news also helps.
Is there a particular sector of news that you are interested in? What is it? Why is it so interesting?
I love following many sectors and because I am an editor-at-large I can follow everything and anything. My first beat was covering oil markets and mergers and acquisitions and that’s probably still my first passion. It mixes politics and economics. But I also love following the luxury sector and central banks. When you start looking at the business of something –currencies, fashion, cars, tech – you realise how complex and yet very simple it is. Hint: try and sell things people want to buy.
What is your top tip for staying prepared?
Read. Read and ask questions when you don’t understand 100%. I read a lot and try and learn something new every day.
How does someone break into the world of interviewing/presenting?
Passion and patience count for a lot. I love what I do, prepare my questions with great care but also genuinely enjoy my time with the interviewee. Be curious. Be smart. And never give up getting the best interview.
Take a look at Francine interviewing fashion designer Donna Karen.
With thanks to Bloomberg TV.
