Carla Teng-Westergaard
Carla joined the Asia Media Centre as a media adviser in 2023, bringing with her more than 15 years of experience in broadcast journalism and public relations.
Her television career in the Philippines began as a weather presenter and reporter for UNTV’s morning programme before moving to the award-winning public affairs team at GMA Network.
She later joined TV5 Network Inc. and Bloomberg TV Philippines as a diplomatic correspondent, where she became known to audiences by her screen name Carla Lim. In these roles, she covered the Department of Foreign Affairs, world leaders’ summits, and tensions in the South China Sea. Alongside her television work, she hosted on 92.3 News FM and contributed to BusinessMirror and The Philippine Star.
Carla has also undertaken journalism training in China, Singapore, and Israel. She was a former member of the Vatican press corps and served as the close-in reporter for Pope Francis during his apostolic visits to Asia.
In 2017, she was awarded a Manaaki New Zealand-ASEAN Scholarship by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to complete a Master of International Development at Massey University. Following her studies, she became chief editor at the Office of the President of the Philippines.
Her public relations career includes work with major companies such as Ayala Corporation and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines. After relocating to Auckland in 2022, she joined one of Aotearoa’s leading marketing firms before taking up her current role at the Asia Media Centre.
