AGENDA
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8.30am
Registration, networking & coffee
9.15am
Welcome
Leave your B2C and D2C at the door - today is all about B2B. The Drum’s VP of events Lynn Lester and our MC for B2B World Fest 2025 - B2B LinkedIn influencer Henry Hayes - set out the day ahead and preview the key themes that our B2B marketing specialists - from some of the biggest spending and most exciting B2B brands - will explore during B2B World Fest 2025.
Lynn Lester
Senior Vice President, Events & Marketing The Drum
Henry Hayes
Comedy Content Creator and Head of Marketing Passionfruit
9.20am
Fireside chat: Mishal Husain, Editor at Large, Bloomberg Weekend
In a rare role reversal, acclaimed Bloomberg and former BBC broadcaster and journalist Mishal Husain will be the one answering the questions as The Drum turns the tables on the interviewer. With decades spent covering business, economics and politics – and countless conversations with world leaders and CEOs – Mishal brings a unique vantage point on leadership, communication and reputation. As she launches her new global Bloomberg podcast – The Mishal Husain Show – she’ll reflect on how the media landscape is evolving, what defines great communicators and the fine balance between authority, empathy and trust. Expect candid insights into how reputation is built, lost and rebuilt when every decision is under public scrutiny.
Cameron Clarke
Global Editor The Drum
Mishal Husain
Editor at Large Bloomberg Weekend
9.45am
Game on: why B2B is betting big on sport
In partnership with
Once the domain of big consumer names, sports marketing is fast becoming a powerful platform for B2B brands. In this session, agencies and brand leaders unpack why more B2B marketers are investing in sponsorship, sport-led content, and partnerships to boost visibility, build emotional connections, and engage hard-to-reach audiences. From F1 to football, discover how B2B is playing to win on and off the pitch.
Sarah Dawson
Executive VP, Managing Director Wasserman
Priyanka Mehra
Head of Marketing & Communications - UK & Ireland Tata Consultancy Services
Karen Feldman
SVP, Chief Marketing Officer Iron Mountain
10.10am
Brand vs. Demand: Is B2B getting the balance right?
In partnership with
Data shows that B2B marketers invest far less in brand than they’d like – and far more in demand than they believe is optimal. Short-term demand and sales activations may suit the C-suite. But is under-investment in brand and an outdated understanding of its role undermining long-term growth? Our experts will share their perspectives on B2B marketing’s balancing act of driving quarterly pipeline performance at the expense of brand equity. Expect candid views on budget battles, last-click attribution addiction, and why brand building is more essential than ever.
Tom Stein
Chairman and Chief Brand Officer Stein
Harry Davies
Vice President, Marketing Strategy, Effectiveness and Investment Sage
Amie Stankiste
Chief Marketing Officer LSEG
John Rudaizky
Global Chief Brand & Marketing Officer, Partner EY
10.35am
The future B2B buyer: What Gen Z and millennials expect from B2B brands
Tomorrow’s B2B buyers are digital natives with new rules of engagement. This session will dive into how Gen Z and millennial behaviors are reshaping the buying funnel - from Instagram to Slack channels - and what B2B brands must do now to stay culturally relevant and emotionally resonant in the face of generational disruption.
Nicky Briggs
VP principal analyst Forrester
Andrea Gellert
VP Global Business & Product Marketing Meta
Jorge Narvaez
SVP Head of Creative EMEAI GPJ
Dan Chapman
Global Chief Strategy Officer UM
10.55am
How to be a B2B medici not mediocre
What can a Renaissance banking dynasty teach today’s B2B marketers? This session dives into the power of creative ambition and why settling for the safe option is the fastest route to irrelevance. We’ll explore the “Creative Ambition Gap”: how bold ideas get watered down between brief and execution, and what leaders can do to protect them. Just as the Medici built a legacy by backing daring, untested talent, modern marketers can achieve lasting impact by defending creativity, thinking beyond quick wins, and building brands that inspire. Are you brave enough to go Medici?
Mark Lesniak
Creative Director Lesniak Swann
11.10am
BREAK
11.40am
Oxford-style debate: In 2025 B2B buying decisions are driven by emotion not logic and rationality
The Motion: 'This house believes that modern B2B buying decisions are driven by emotion and not rationality and logic as was once believed.' Brand and agency leaders go head-to-head to challenge one of B2B’s most deep-seated assumptions – that unlike most consumer buying decisions, B2B buying decisions are always based on sound logic – they aren’t. Are B2B buying decisions as emotional and B2C buying decisions? You decide.
Henry Hayes
Comedy Content Creator and Head of Marketing Passionfruit
Jenny Sagström
Co-founder and CEO Sköna
Adam Azor
EVP, Global Marketing Sportradar
Alex Kurth
Head of Planning & Strategy Marketbridge Europe
Amelia Torode
Group Head of Strategy Ogilvy
12.10pm
AI, automation & attribution: cutting through the noise
In partnership with
Is AI marketing’s shiny new savior - or just more tech hype? This panel will separate signal from noise, exploring how marketers can use AI ethically and effectively to drive outcomes without killing the creativity that B2B marketing has been embracing in recent years. Learn how to build intelligent automation into your stack without losing the human touch that makes brands memorable.
Bernard Marr
Futurist & Founder Bernard Marr & Co
Allison Beattie
Global Brand Director AXA XL
Michael McGoldrick
Global Vice President of Marketing pharosIQ
Matt McNeany
President of WPP Open Pro WPP
Vitaly Boitelet
Chief Product Officer SmartAssets
12.35pm
Behind the Brand: The Power of Comms in B2B
In partnership with
B2B is often seen as rational and numbers-driven, yet multi-million-pound deals hinge on trust, reputation and relationships. Trust is the true currency of business decision-making, with brand acting as the embodiment of how a company is perceived and understood in the market. A distinctive brand not only drives differentiation but also builds credibility across complex buying groups, creating emotional preference and reassuring customers they are making the right choice. This panel will examine how B2B brands earn and sustain trust, leverage reputation, and ultimately turn brand strength into commercial advantage in highly competitive markets.
Andrew Mildren
Managing Director Edelman Business Marketing EMEA
Paola Garbini
Executive Director, European Head of Marketing Oliver Wyman
Mike Argile
Senior Marketing Lead Microsoft EMEA: Copilot and Agents
Kate Stanners
Chief Creative Officer, International Edelman
1pm
B2B communities: the new growth engine?
In an age of scepticism and signal overload, community is becoming the new trust currency. This session unpacks how B2B brands are building, nurturing, and activating communities to drive pipeline, loyalty and advocacy. Discover what it takes to move from CRM lists to truly connected audiences that grow with you.
Jen Faull
Deputy Editor The Drum
Mel Lazarus
Ecosystem Engagement Director Open Banking
Alicia Skubick
CMO Trustpilot
Chris Adams
Founder & CEO Hey Honey
1.20pm
LUNCH
2.20pm
The Drum: The beating heart of B2B marketing
To kick off the afternoon, you’ll be the first to hear about The Drum's new plan for B2B. Editor Cameron Clarke unveils our new editorial strategy for B2B and big news on our live events and awards from 2026 as The Drum becomes the beating heart of B2B.
Cameron Clarke
Global Editor The Drum
2.30pm
Game Show: Guess The B2B Strapline
How well do you know your B2B advertising straplines? We put two B2B ‘experts’ head to head to find out if they can recognise some of the most iconic B2B headlines of all time.
Richard Draycott
Associate Editor & VP of Community Engagement The Drum
Contestant 1
It could be you
Contestant 2
It could be you
2.45pm
Come fly with B2B
In partnership with
B2B decision-makers are constantly in motion and with business travel set to exceed $2 Trillion by 2028, attention is shifting to new heights. At 35,000 feet, something different happens: audiences are focused, curious and ready to engage. We explore how the ‘airspace advantage’ is helping B2B brands cut through clutter, harness high-attention contexts, and extend campaigns beyond the ground.
Jenni Baker
Senior Editor – Branded Content The Drum
Chris Demange
VP Digital Services & Partnerships Viasat
3.05pm
Bagging bigger B2B budgets
Securing budget is one of the biggest challenges for today’s CMOs. This session explores how marketing can be positioned as an investment, not a cost. This session will look at the metrics that matter to CFOs, how to link brand building with financial performance, and the most effective strategies for gaining buy-in on bold, business-driving campaigns.
David Haigh
Chairman and CEO Brand Finance Plc
3.30pm
Bringing Hollywood to B2B. What is... brand storytelling?
In partnership with
Brand storytelling provides B2B marketers with an amazing platform to shape culture and amplify their brand’s profile in the world. In a shining example of how to bring big screen thinking to brand strategy, Who Is... Watson? The Day AI Went Prime Time tells the story of how IBM Watson’s legendary Jeopardy! appearance turned AI from engineering marvel to magic marketing moment. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the exclusive EMEA premiere of the Transmission-produced short documentary, alongside an engaging Q&A with the visionaries behind the project.
Ricky Abbott
President, Americas Transmission
Charlie Smith
Chief Marketing Officer UK and Ireland IBM
4pm
BREAK
4.20pm
Brand x ABM: the new power duo behind modern B2B growth
In partnership with
B2B buyers don’t think in channels or team structures, so why split brand and ABM? With most of the journey happening before sales appear, smart brands are replacing silos with one system that creates demand and captures it. Modern ABM isn’t just who you target; it’s how you guide accounts through their digital journey. This session shows how leading marketers unify brand storytelling, creative, intent data, and ABM activation into a single strategy that mirrors real buyer behavior – driving awareness, relevance, and revenue together.
Lynn Lester
Senior Vice President, Events & Marketing The Drum
Giuseppe La Rocca
VP Enterprise StackAdapt
Andrea Glenn
CEO Ledger Bennett, a Havas company
Jon Lonsdale
CEO Publicis Pro
4.45pm
AI is transforming B2B: So why is your CX strategy still playing catch-up?
In partnership with
AI is everywhere, and businesses are racing to put it to work. But here’s the catch: most companies are chasing efficiency instead of tapping into AI’s real power – reimagining the customer experience. A new WSJ Intelligence/Code and Theory survey of 800 C-Suite leaders reveals a surprising gap: while nearly all are eager to implement AI, only a few know how to connect the dots between innovation, business growth and customer impact. In this session, Code and Theory will break down what it takes to seize this once-in-a-generation moment by elevating not just your business, but the way B2B customers experience it.
Richard Draycott
Associate Editor & VP of Community Engagement The Drum
Craig Elimeliah
Chief Creative Officer Code and Theory
Leanne Fremar
Chief Brand Officer JPMorgan Chase
5.05pm
The CMO is dead, long live the Agentic CMO
In our closing fireside chat, S&P Global's CMO, author and speaker Francesco Federico introduces his vision of the 'Agentic CMO' and what it ultimately means for the future of B2B marketing and B2B CMOs. With The Drum's deputy editor Jen Faull, Francesco will explore how Agentic AI is set to transform decision-making, operating models and the skills CMOs need to lead with confidence in an era of automation. Expect a candid discussion on leadership, innovation, ethics and the new opportunities - and risks - facing tomorrow’s B2B brand leaders.
Jen Faull
Deputy Editor The Drum
Francesco Federico
Chief Marketing Officer S&P Global
5.25pm
Closing remarks
Cameron Clarke
Global Editor The Drum
Lynn Lester
Senior Vice President, Events & Marketing The Drum
Henry Hayes
Comedy Content Creator and Head of Marketing Passionfruit
5.30pm
Drinks & networking
Drinks, informal chats, and time to debrief on the day’s big ideas.
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1.45pm
B2B Breakouts
At B2B World Fest, we know one size doesn’t fit all. That’s why we’re hosting a series of masterclass breakout sessions designed exclusively for CMOs and senior marketing leaders. Running simultaneously across The Drum Labs, these interactive sessions let you dive deep into the challenges that matter most to you – from harnessing AI to reimagining B2B customer experience, brand building, and beyond. Each session is a chance to step away from theory and focus on practical strategies, peer discussion, and actionable insights. Choose your challenge, shape the conversation, and leave with ideas you can put to work tomorrow.
