From a modest footprint to state-of-the-art offices: Bloomberg celebrates 30 years in Mainland China

Imagine starting your first day at a new job in an office the size of a storage closet — one that gave little hint of the ambitions behind it. That’s exactly how Bloomberg began its journey in Mainland China 30 years ago: within a modest corner of the Shanghai Broadcast Building, which laid the foundation for what would become a major presence in the region.

A company that truly cares

This was where Lindsay Zhou, who will mark her 27th year at Bloomberg this December, started her career at the firm. She remembers quickly discovering that Bloomberg truly valued its people. Even in a smaller office setting, the company’s generosity stood out — from a supportive work culture to an impressive range of employee benefits, including a comprehensive medical plan. It was clear from the beginning that Bloomberg was committed to investing in its employees’ well-being. 

Yilan Pi joined the firm a few years later and had a similar experience. By then, the team in Shanghai had expanded from two people to five, and the office had relocated to the Shanghai Centre. While it was an upgrade in square footage, the new office was still small by most standards. 

What surprised and impressed Yilan, though, was that even in such a snug space, the firm had designated a nursing room for new moms. “The company has always been committed to providing better support for everyone,” says Yilan, who now leads the sell-side sales team in Mainland China.

Where hard work reaps rewards

By the time Ying Tian joined Bloomberg News in Beijing in 2003, there were four team members and an office pantry considered by journalists in the Chinese capital to be “the best in town.” Bloomberg had built a reputation as being a place where everyone worked hard — and for Ying Tian, this relentless pursuit of excellence was the main draw of working at the firm.

With such a small team covering Mainland China at that time, competing with other news organizations that were often far better staffed, the only way Bloomberg’s journalists could succeed was by working harder — together. “I had to do pretty much everything,” Ying Tian remembers. “It was challenging but also rewarding.” 

It was the same for Yilan and Lindsay. Back then, Bloomberg was the unknown newcomer in Mainland China. Lindsay’s first task was to convince data providers to work with Bloomberg – a company they’d never heard of before. It wasn’t an easy sell. Today, Bloomberg is the leading global provider of that same data — all thanks to Lindsay’s persistence, belief and hard work. 

Expanding in size and reach

Over the past 30 years, Bloomberg has steadily expanded its impact in the region, combining innovation with a sharp editorial edge to deliver market-moving news. Today, our nearly 300 employees in Mainland China work out of two state-of-the-art offices in Beijing and Shanghai that reflect both modern sophistication and local charm. Far removed from the modest beginnings Lindsay once experienced, these offices are now vibrant hubs of creativity and connection. 

Each location embraces its regional identity through thoughtfully curated daily breakfasts — Beijing offers local staples like fried dough sticks and savory buns, while Shanghai delights with sticky rice and southern flavors. The offices come alive during festive seasons, celebrating not only international holidays but also traditional Chinese festivals such as the Dragon Boat Festival and Qing Ming Festival. And the views are nothing short of iconic: the Beijing office offers a glimpse of the Forbidden City, while the Shanghai team enjoys views of the Oriental Pearl Tower. Together, these spaces embody the dynamism and heritage that define Bloomberg’s presence in China. 

It’s all about the people

At the end of the day however, what has kept employees like Lindsay, Yilan and Ying Tian at Bloomberg for so much of their careers is the people. “Working with pleasant, smart and engaging colleagues makes the years fly by,” Lindsay says.

Indeed, a spirit of collaboration runs deep in Bloomberg’s culture, both in Mainland China and across the globe. At a recent event to mark the firm’s 30th anniversary in China, Bing Li, head of APAC Sales, said, “the close ties between our different teams in Beijing and Shanghai truly makes Bloomberg China feel like a family. But beyond that, all of your collaborations with teams across Asia, and in New York and London, have been essential in achieving our shared goals.”