Turning the Tables: An interview with Mishal Husain, Editor at Large, Bloomberg Weekend

AI is transforming B2B: So why is your CX strategy still playing catch-up?

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.

22 mins

Brand vs. Demand: Is B2B getting the balance right?

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 But is under-investment in brand and an outdated understanding of its role undermining long-term growth?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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.