Rico Hizon is the award-winning news anchor of CNN PHILIPPINES´ evening primetime general news program THE FINAL WORD and the weekly business and finance program THE EXCHANGE.

Rico recently was recognized as the Best Factual News Presenter. Grand Final Winner at the 2023 Asian Academy Creative Awards in Singapore and Best News Anchor at the 28th Asian Television Awards in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

After his stint at CNN Philippines, he moved to SM Investments Corporation (SMIC) as a Consultant and Hosts a business feature talk show on the ABS-CBN News Channel.

Rico moved back to Manila in 2020, after 25 years of international broadcasting experience in Hong Kong, Singapore and London. For 7 1/2 years he was with the global business and finance network CNBC and for the last 17 1/2 years with international news network BBC WORLD NEWS.

In his 25 years as an international broadcast journalist, he is the only South East Asian male anchor to work for two of the world’s most prestigious global news networks CNBC Business News and BBC World News and as he moved back to the Philippines, joined another powerhouse international news network in CNN Philippines.

On BBC World News, Rico anchored the business news program, Asia Business Report and general news based show Newsday live from Singapore and London, every weekday morning. 

Produced out of Singapore, Asia Business Report offers viewers up to the minute economic and market news from the Asia-Pacific region, with in-depth analysis of the latest trends from the movers and shakers in the business world. 

His reports have taken him all over the region from Hong Kong, to Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and the Philippines. 

On Newsday, Rico reported on the latest political and social issues from the people who make the news, and also a thorough viewpoint from more than 200 BBC correspondents around the world, and its impact on the global scene.

Rico has interviewed personalities in the financial, political and sporting world from Microsoft's Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer,  World Trade Organization Chief Pascal Lamy, Air Asia's Tony Fernandes, Virgin´s Sir Richard Branson, billionaire Warren Buffet, Hedge Fund gurus George Soros, and Mark Mobius, Loida Nicholas Lewis, Former US President Bill Clinton, Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, European Union President Jose Manuel Barroso, ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan, Nobel Prize Laureate Mohammad Yunus, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yughoyohono, U-S President Bill Clinton to Philippine President´s Fidel Ramos, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III.

In Sports, he has interviewed Olympic Gold Medalist Sebastian Coe, Football World Champion PELE, World Boxing Champion Manny Pacquiao, NBA Superstars Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Grant Hill, David Robinson, top women golfers Michelle Wie and Lorena Ochoa, Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham and Rio Ferdinand. Pole Vaulter EJ Obiena

In Entertainment,  Sesame Street muppets Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird. Comedian JOKOY, Best- Selling Author Kevin Kwan; Hollywood stars Harrison Ford, Jamie Foxx, Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Michelle Yeoh, K-Pop stars PSY, NCT DJJ, Treasures, and K-Drama stars Kim Seon Ho, Ji Chang Wok & Wi Ha Jun, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Journey's Arnel Pineda, Emma Stone, Musical stars Lea Salonga and Charice, pop music composer David Foster, Rex Smith and David Pomeranz. UK Bands Lotus Eaters and Flock of Seagulls,  Celebrated photographers Steve Mccury and Annie Leibovitz. Miss Universe titleholders Pia Wurtzbach, Catriona Gray and Margie Moran. internet sensations Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza also known as Aldub. Best-selling author Amy Chua. 

With keen interest in Asia’s booming economies and geo-political issues, Rico Hizon´s news programs on BBC World News were broadcast to more 400 million households worldwide.

His anchoring and reportorial responsibilities has also given him the honor to moderate and host several top global events -- The UN Conference on Economic and Social Change in New York. The Clinton Global Initiative in Hong Kong and New York. The World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings. The Asian Development Bank Annual Meetings. The World Economic Forum. British Chamber of Commerce Awards in Singapore. The ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Cambodia and Myanmar. 

Rico is a multi-awarded broadcast journalist.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:

• Best Factual News Presenter. Grand Final Winner. 2023 Asian Academy Creative Awards
• Best News Anchor and Presenter. 28th Asian Television Awards in Vietnam
• Best Factual News Presenter - Philippines. 2023 Asian Academy Creative Awards
• Best News Anchor. 26th Asian Television Awards 
• Best News Anchor. 2022 Gawad Tanglaw Awards
• Best News Anchor. 2021 UP Gandingan Awards
• TOYM (The Outstanding Young Men) 2006 Award
• Rotary Club of Manila's 2012 Broadcast Journalist of the Year 
• Rising Tigers Man of the Year Award 2022
• Rotary Club's 2016 Responsible Broadcast Journalist Awardee
• Best News Anchor, Highly Commended Award, 2015 Asian Television Awards
• Doctorate Honoris Causa in Humanities, University of Northeastern Philippines
• Best News Anchor Nominee, 2011 Asian Television Awards
• 2010 People of the Year Awardee, People Asia Magazine
• 2009 LaSallian Achievement Award, Global Journalism
• 2008 Presidential Award, Excellence in International Journalism
• 2008 BPinoy Awardee for advocating important Filipino values and principles

PROGRAM AWARDS:

• Best News Program. The Final Word. 27th Asian Television Awards
• Best News Program. The Final Word. 26th Asian Television Awards
• Best News Program. The Final Word. 2022 Gawad Tanglaw Awards
• Best News Program. The Final Word. 2021 UP Gandingan Awards
• Best News Program PH. The Final Word. 2020 Asian Academy Creative Awards
• Best Documentary SG. BBC Earth. Philippines: Island Treasures. 2018 Asian Academy Creative Awards
• Best News Program. BBC World News' Newsday. 22nd Asian Television Awards
• Best News Program Nominee. BBC Newsday. 2011-2016 Asian Television Awards

Hizon, who studied at De La Salle University, started his broadcast career at Manila-based GMA Network, from 1988 to 1995, where he was responsible for covering capital markets, banking and finance, real estate, investment and corporate developments. He anchored the daily business program, Business Today, GMA News Live and Stock Market Live from the trading floor of the Philippine Stock Exchange. 

Hizon then joined CNBC Asia in April 1995, based in Hong Kong and later in Singapore, where he was the main anchor of the morning edition of CNBC Today, Squawk Box, Market Watch and Power Lunch.

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