Harriet Alexander is a Senior Features Reporter for The Times and The Sunday Times, specializing in the intersection of U.S. politics, global business, and environmental policy. Based in New York, her work bridges investigative rigor with narrative flair, often focusing on how systemic forces—trade wars, climate litigation, corporate lobbying—impact everyday lives.
Harriet Alexander has carved a distinctive path in journalism over nearly two decades, transitioning from a globetrotting foreign correspondent to a senior features reporter specializing in U.S. politics, international business, and environmental conflicts. Her career began with The Daily Telegraph, where she reported from 45 countries, including conflict zones like the Brazilian Amazon and post-earthquake Haiti. This foundation in crisis reporting honed her ability to distill complex geopolitical narratives into compelling human stories—a skill she now applies to her U.S.-focused work at The Times and The Sunday Times.
"Curiosity is the engine of journalism. You have to be interested in the world around you and ask questions—the answers will frequently surprise you."
This 2025 analysis exposed how the Trump administration’s 90-day tariff pause created chaotic ripple effects across the alcohol industry. Alexander combined macroeconomic data with grassroots interviews—distillers in Kentucky, importers in California—to illustrate how policy ambiguity mirrored the dystopian competition in Netflix’s Squid Game. The piece became a benchmark for explaining trade policy through pop-culture analogies, cited by NPR’s Planet Money and The Brookings Institution.
Alexander’s 2024 investigation revealed how a historic fine against Greenpeace could redefine environmental activism’s legal boundaries. By obtaining leaked court documents and interviewing both pipeline executives and jailed protesters, she framed the story as a bellwether for corporate counterattacks against climate campaigns. The article spurred congressional hearings and was shortlisted for the 2025 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting.
In this 2020 critique for The Telegraph, Alexander dissected the limitations of political biography as a genre. While praising Osnos’ prose, she argued that the biography avoided tough questions about Biden’s legislative compromises—a template she later used to analyze presidential memoirs for The Times. The review showcased her ability to blend cultural criticism with policy analysis.
Alexander consistently links macroeconomic trends to micro-level impacts. A successful pitch might explore how the Inflation Reduction Act affects specific communities—e.g., solar-panel manufacturers in Ohio facing supply-chain bottlenecks. Avoid theoretical analyses; she prioritizes voices from factory floors, not boardrooms.
Her Greenpeace investigation demonstrates interest in climate activism’s collision with corporate law. Pitches could examine novel legal strategies, like municipalities suing oil companies for climate damages, but must include protagonists willing to speak on-record about risks.
With Brexit and U.S. protectionism reshaping trade, Alexander seeks stories about companies navigating both markets. Example: A Scottish whisky distillery pivoting from U.S. exports to Asian markets due to tariffs, with data on employment shifts.
