Hi Cyril,
We spent months in research calls with senior financial marketers. The same tensions kept surfacing.
PROVING MARKETING'S VALUE
The pressure to show ROI has never been higher, but most teams are still reporting activity, not business impact. The shift that's working: telling a revenue story, not a campaign story.
PERSONALIZATION VS. PRIVACY
First-party data strategies are separating the leaders from the rest. Third-party workarounds are running out of road, and customers notice when personalization feels intrusive.
AI WITHOUT THE HYPE
The teams getting real value from AI aren't replacing creativity. They're using it to move faster, test more, and govern better. Brand voice and compliance guardrails are non-negotiable.
VISIBILITY AS SEARCH CHANGES
Google. TikTok. ChatGPT. The discovery journey looks nothing like it did three years ago. Brands that aren't building for AI-driven, conversational search are already falling behind.
WHAT THE BEST TEAMS ARE DOING DIFFERENTLY
• Framing marketing as a revenue partner instead of a support function
• Building brand trust as a measurable asset, not a soft outcome
• Designing content for intent and context, not just keywords
• Embedding privacy and consent into personalization from the start
These are the conversations we're bringing to DMFS Canada 2026, with confirmed practitioners including:
• Anthony V. Lambie, AVP Marketing Technology North America, TD
• Kate Brown, Chief Marketing Officer, Insurely
• Michael Letsche, VP Marketing, TD Wealth
• Brittany Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer, Haventree Bank
• Joe Pellegrino, Director, Digital Marketing, Manulife
• Taylor Stavenjord, AVP Brand Impact & Creative Services, Equitable
• Rahim Ladha, Managing Director & Global Head of Communications, BGO
• Kerry Ould, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, PenFinancial Credit Union
• Martha Turner Osbourne, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Hub Financial
• Baaba Hughes, Social Media Director, Adelaide Capital
• Carolina Medrano, Director of Marketing, Get a Better Mortgage Inc.
• Aparna Allam, Head of Marketing, Espresso Capital
• Emily Utting, AVP Marketing & Corporate Comms, Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation
• Angelica Montagano, Head of Brand Experience, PWL Capital
• Phillip Notley, Head of Marketing & Communications, FCT
• Jeffrey Beck, Chief Marketing Officer, CST Savings
