Message from our new President Keith Richburg

The FCC Board of Governors on Saturday unanimously elected Keith Richburg to take over as Club President, replacing Jodi Schneider who has taken up a new position with Bloomberg in New York.

Eric Wishart, who was unable to succeed Jodi because of pressing professional commitments, will continue as 1st Vice President.

Keith will fill out the remainder of Jodi’s term which ends when new elections are held and a new Board seated in May.

There is now a vacancy on the Board for a Correspondent Governor, and we invite any Correspondent Members who are interested in serving to contact Keith, Eric or any Board member.

Keith, a former, longtime Washington Post correspondent and foreign editor with a career spanning three decades, was the Post’s Hong Kong Bureau Chief from 1995 to 2000, and later worked for the Post in Beijing and Shanghai. He is currently director of the University of Hong Kong’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre, a regular freelance contributor to various outlets, and a Correspondent Governor for the last two terms. He served as Club President from 1997 to 1998, and also received the highest number of votes in the Correspondent category in the election held last year.

“My earlier term as President started just before the Handover, and I am honoured that 24 years later I have been asked to once again step in and help steer the Club at this important juncture,” he said. “We have a lot on our plate for these coming months, most critically trying to navigate the pandemic, the anti-virus restrictions on our operating hours and live events, and the city’s overall economic downturn. We need to continue the ongoing upkeep and maintenance of this treasured historic building. And of course we must maintain our role as a fierce advocate for press freedom in the face of myriad challenges.”

“We will also be keeping up the high tempo of our professional events with a great line-up of speakers and panels in the works — online, while the restrictions last, and hopefully soon back to in-person events. With so many people stuck here in Hong Kong and unable to travel, we hope our special F & B offerings can bring a small taste of the world to you here at the Club. Our Club magazine, The Correspondent, freshly relaunched by editor Kate Springer, looks terrific — please check out the current issue. And I’m very exciting about the upcoming launch of our new FCC website, which I’m sure you will like too,” he said.

He added, “I also want to make sure the FCC continues to be a place that is open, friendly and welcoming to everyone — members and their guests.”

“I also want to take another opportunity here to thank Jodi for her indefatigable leadership over two terms as President,” he said. “Jodi took over at perhaps the most difficult time imaginable, some two weeks before the start of the largest protest movement seen here in decades, in 2019, and of course last year with the imposition of the new National Security Law. Jodi was exactly the steady hand and level head the Club needed. Let’s keep it going.”