Anchoring your brand when nothing else is stable, with Finola McDonnell

Episode notes

What does resilience really look like inside a 140+ year-old media brand? In this episode of CMO Convo, we sit down with Finola McDonnell, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at the Financial Times, to explore how a legacy publisher stays relevant in an era defined by AI, platform disruption, and shifting audience behaviour. Finola shares how the FT differentiates between truth and trust - and why that distinction shapes everything from brand strategy to product decisions. → Why trust is a strategic asset, not just a value statement → How the FT balances AI adoption with human editorial oversight → What brand really means in a subscription-led business → How to lead teams through constant industry change → Why CMOs in 2026 should double down on core strengths instead of chasing every fad This is a conversation about discipline, identity, and building a brand people do not want to leave.

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