In this reflective, forward-looking talk Claire will outline the quiet shift from individual success to people leadership, and why the most effective leaders focus less on control and more on creating the conditions for others to thrive. Focusing on presence, judgement, trust and other “soft skills”, Claire will explore what it is that quietly underpins high-performing teams and enables good leaders to build and manage effective teams.

Effective strategy starts with understanding consumers, and when research falls short, so do the outcomes. This session explores how robust, behavioural-led research underpins stronger business, brand and media strategies, and why flawed insight can lead to costly mistakes. Using real-world examples, William Hanmer-Lloyd will look at how better research drives smarter decisions today, and how emerging AI methodologies may help to reshape the future of consumer understanding.

This session will explore the career journey from marketing executive to CMO, examining the skills, experiences and mindset shifts required at each stage. From building breadth across disciplines to developing leadership presence and navigating organisational complexity, we’ll discuss what it takes to progress, and how marketers can actively shape their own career path in an evolving industry.