Twitter handle

@MikeKlimes_MM

The main beats that I cover are:

Pensions.

The biggest influence on my journalism career to date is:

Helen Morrissey, Jonathan Stapleton and Christopher Hitchens. 

The proudest moment of my time working in financial journalism has been:

Covering the collapse of BHS when I worked at Professional Pensions. It is the only story I have worked on that became a national one. Seeing how the work and pensions select committee was led by Frank Field was an experience. I loved it. 

Congratulations on your success at the 2022 Headlinemoney Awards! How did you feel when your name was announced as the winner?

Ecstatic. I was not expecting it. The pensions trade category is always strong. I am still savouring the victory. I guess it is the closest I will get to an ‘Oscar’ moment.

The piece of advice I'd give to someone starting out in financial journalism is:

Firstly, get your foot in the door, you need to start somewhere.
Secondly, don’t be hung up where. I started in pensions and have been there since. It’s been a rewarding career.
Thirdly, if you find good mentors and managers, stay close to them.
Lastly, LISTEN to what your editors tell you about craft. It’s not personal.    

My favourite media outlets for financial news are:

Financial Times, The Spectator and Granta Magazine.

My relationship with PRs could be improved if:

They spend more time on their pitches.

My favourite financial expert is:

Paul Lewis.

The financial interview I’d most like to arrange is:

Elon Musk.

The piece of financial services research I’d most like to read is:

A good economic history of the effects of Covid policies.

My view on the humble press release and how it could be improved is that:

Make sure it is relevant to the publication you target. 

My dream job in financial journalism would be:

A writer at large on a magazine or national writing about a wide range of topics that turn into books. 

The one piece of kit I cannot do without as a financial journalist is:

My team.

Given £1,000 I’d invest in:

Shares.

You won’t know this, but:

I have a good knowledge of boxing.

You won’t know this, but I’m hopeless at:

Technology. 

And finally… what’s your go-to karaoke song?

'Return of the Mack' by Mark Morrison.