What were your biggest learnings at MIP,IOD,Teneo and your time as Editor in Chief at City AM (2015 to 2020) and how have you sought to apply them this time?
I started my career at MIP, a small Westminster PR firm that was run by a former Fleet Street hack called Nick Wood. Nick ran the office like a newsroom and I gained a lot of experience in the mechanics and operations of the news industry. I even picked up the lingo and learned how to drink a lot at lunchtime. Those were the days. I left MIP to do a Masters in Journalism, from where I went to the IoD as chief spokesperson for the business lobby group, interacting with the media on a daily basis. That was good grounding for my move to City AM in 2025, though it’s fair to say it was still a surprise move. I had to learn on the job, and fast. After 5 years I moved into corporate comms at Teneo, advising some of the biggest companies on a range of complex issues. It was fascinating work, and useful to be on the other side of the fence for a while. On moving back to City AM last summer, it was immediately clear how much the job had changed in my absence. I returned to find new owners, a new office, new government, new team and a new commercial reality in the news industry. But I’m pleased to say that much of what of loved about the job the first time round remains; good old fashioned journalism with an entrepreneurial spirit.
Is Sir Kier Starmer’s pledge to turn Britain into an AI superpower and turbocharge economic growth plausible?
This government is doing some good things in terms of the groundwork for future economic growth, and the AI strategy is a good example of that. It’s been well received. Further reforms to the planning system and some encouraging noises about infrastructure are also welcome, but the reality is that much of the more immediate policies announced in last year’s Budget are having a serious and damaging effect in the here and now. They’re choking off growth in the present while banking on it materialising in the future.
How are you driving top of the funnel engagement at City AM and how are global trends influencing brand strategy?
We are now a fully digital first product, with a newspaper printed three times a week. The physical product is hugely important to us, and to many of our readers, but digital leads the way – our app has hit nearly 100,000 downloads and our newsletters are extremely successful. All publishers are constantly experimenting and adapting to the realities (and vagaries) of the news economy, but City AM is in a good place and we have strong growth plans based around audio and video in particular.
Do you believe AI will have a negative effect on trust in news?
AI has the potential to erode or at least recalibrate people’s trust in news but we just have to hope that quality and authenticity win the day. As a publisher, AI can be immensely useful in allowing us to reach and engage with our audience but it will never replace the authority of trusted journalism.
During the period since THG invested in City AM in 2023 and you have returned as Editor in Chief,a new mobile app, redesigned print edition, newsdesk in Manchester,partnership with Reach etc have followed.As turbulence continues in publishing and journalism, is this now a race where the first to pivot and adapt survive?
The race never ends, and it’s an endurance sport, for sure. But City AM has built a loyal and valuable audience over 20 years, and we’re growing that audience every day via new products, partnerships and syndication deals all of which make us one of biggest (possibly the biggest) publisher of business and financial news in the country – and that’s a strong foundation from which to grow.
