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‬Finola‬‭
McDonnell‬‭
Chief‬‭ Marketing‬‭ & Communications‬‭ Officer‬ ‭
Financial Times
‬Finola‬‭ McDonnell‬‭ joined‬‭ the‬‭ Financial‬‭ Times‬‭ in‬‭ April‬‭ 2018‬‭ as‬‭ chief‬‭ communications‬‭ and‬‭ marketing‬‭ officer‬ ‭ (CCMO).‬‭ McDonnell‬‭ is‬‭ a‬‭ member‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ FT‬‭ Group’s‬‭ executive‬‭ board,‬‭ which‬‭ is‬‭ responsible‬‭ for‬‭ corporate‬ ‭ governance, global strategy and digital transformation.‬ As‬‭ CCMO,‬‭ she‬‭ oversees‬‭ global‬‭ communications,‬‭ brand‬‭ and‬‭ brand‬‭ partnerships,‬‭ design‬‭ and‬‭ public‬‭ affairs.‬ ‭ Her‬‭ mission‬‭ is‬‭ to‬‭ protect‬‭ and‬‭ grow‬‭ the‬‭ FT’s‬‭ reputation‬‭ as‬‭ the‬‭ leading,‬‭ global‬‭ source‬‭ of‬‭ unbiased‬‭ business‬ ‭ news and analysis. She leads an international team based in London, New York and Hong Kong.‬ Finola‬‭ is‬‭ also‬‭ a‬‭ trustee‬‭ of‬‭ national‬‭ charity,‬‭ Citizens‬‭ Advice‬‭ and‬‭ of‬‭ FLIC,‬‭ the‬‭ Financial‬‭ Literacy‬‭ and‬‭ Inclusion‬ ‭ Campaign, a charity backed by the Financial Times.‬ Before‬‭ the‬‭ FT,‬‭ McDonnell‬‭ worked‬‭ for‬‭ CNBC‬‭ International‬‭ as‬‭ VP, Communications‬‭ and‬ ‭Marketing.‬‭ She‬‭ joined‬‭ CNBC‬‭ from‬‭ Business‬‭ Europe,‬‭ the‬‭ largest‬‭ business‬‭ lobby‬‭ group‬‭ in‬‭ Brussels,‬‭ where‬‭ she‬ ‭ led‬‭ all‬‭ communications‬‭ and‬‭ campaign‬‭ work‬‭ directed‬‭ at‬‭ EU‬‭ institutions.‬‭ For‬‭ a‬‭ number‬‭ of‬‭ years‬‭ she‬‭ was‬‭ Head‬ ‭ of‬‭ Public‬‭ Affairs‬‭ with‬‭ the‬‭ Irish‬‭ Business‬‭ &‬‭ Employers’ ‬‭ Confederation,‬‭ IBEC.‬‭ The‬‭ early‬‭ part‬‭ of‬‭ her‬‭ career‬ ‭ was spent as a social policy specialist with a variety of NGOs.‬
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02 December 2025 09:15 - 09:45
Resilience & perseverance: Strategic lessons from the Financial Times on navigating change
According to BDO, 61% of business leaders now prioritize resilience over growth. This session explores how one of the world’s most respected media institutions continues to adapt, thrive, and lead in an ever-changing business landscape. Drawing on 140 years of “pink” perseverance, Finola McDonnell will share how the Financial Times balances heritage with innovation, represents a legacy brand in the digital era, and refines its strategy under new leadership while staying true to its principles. Key takeaways: - Learn how a heritage brand can reinvent itself without losing its core identity. - Discover how to reposition brand and marketing from a cost centre to an investment centre. - Gain insights into navigating leadership transitions while refining business strategy. - Explore the role of brand as organisational self-care in times of change. - Take away practical lessons on maintaining resilience and relevance in evolving markets.