Curiosity, Craft, and Connection in Global Journalism

Raini Hamdi built a life through storytelling, moving from Singapore’s newsrooms to regional B2B leadership and ultimately to independent journalism. When personal hardship prevented her from attending university, she treated the newsroom as her “university for life,” learning accuracy by taking dictation on breaking court cases and gaining resilience through industry shifts, closures, and career pivots. Each move widened her lens: real estate led her to hotels, hotel association work deepened her operational understanding, and travel-trade publishing broadened her view across Asia. Raini believes comfort can narrow perspective; movement, however uncomfortable, builds adaptability and keeps curiosity alive.

Her approach to networking is grounded in sincerity, ask thoughtful questions, listen deeply, and let genuine interest sustain relationships. She learned that repeated presence at industry events, not strategy, builds real connection. Raini also draws inspiration from leaders whose clarity and courage shape the hospitality landscape. She cites Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin as a prime example of strategic agility - admiring how he anticipated the rise of lifestyle brands, acted quickly to acquire them, and communicated with rare honesty, even admitting missteps openly. His transparency, curiosity, and boldness embody leadership qualities she finds increasingly essential.

Notable Quotes/Highlights

• “I wanted to be a journalist, period.”
• “Listening is the most underrated networking skill.”
• “Comfort can be a cage. Move to stay adaptable.”
• “Accuracy is respect for your reader.”
• “Follow curiosity; the dots connect later.”

Closing Reflection

‍Hamdi’s journey affirms that a meaningful career is crafted through courage, courage to stay curious, to move when comfort holds you still, and to meet every experience as part of the story you are shaping. Her path reminds us that precision builds trust, empathy builds connection, and curiosity, practiced intentionally, becomes a force powerful enough to transform both craft and character.

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