Request to partner

Request your invite

Call to action
Your text goes here. Insert your content, thoughts, or information in this space.
Button

Back to speakers

‬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.‬
Button
02 December 2025 09:15 - 09:45
Resilience & perseverance: Lessons from leaders who transform disruption into strategic wins
According to BDO, 61% of business leaders now prioritize resilience over growth, a clear sign that the ability to adapt, persevere, and thrive under pressure has become a critical differentiator for modern CMOs. Join Finola‬‭ as she explores how marketing leaders turn disruption into strategic wins, leveraging resilience and perseverance to drive long-term impact, inspire their teams, and stay ahead in volatile markets.