Recap
On Tuesday, December 9, FCS Chicago closed out the year with a Cocktails with Content event, “How Corporate Reputation Drives Brand Equity,” hosted at Vistria. The program brought together senior marketing and communications leaders to explore how trust, credibility, and reputation increasingly function as strategic assets for financial services brands.
The evening opened with a presentation by Michelle Lynn, Global Head of Data and Insights at Bloomberg, who shared highlights from Bloomberg Media’s latest Corporate Reputation Pulse research, before moderating a panel featuring Deana Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer at The Mather Group, and Grace Wood, Brand Marketing Director at Tastytrade.
The research underscored a critical distinction for financial services marketers: while brand equity shapes differentiation, visibility, and preference, corporate reputation is built through action, conduct, and trust—and often plays a decisive role in long-term business outcomes.
The panel discussion expanded on these themes through a practical lens, focusing on how organizations build, protect, and evolve their reputations amid leadership changes, shifting audience expectations, and an increasingly fragmented media environment. Our panelist discussed the importance of authenticity, consistency, and speed in shaping narrative—particularly as communities, clients, and external stakeholders exert greater influence over how brands are perceived.
A key takeaway from the conversation was that reputation is no longer owned by a single function. Instead, it is shaped across the organization—through leadership visibility, client experience, thought leadership, and real-world engagement—reinforcing the idea that trust remains the foundation upon which strong brand equity is built.
This event is sold out.
FCS Chicago will close out 2025 with another fantastic panel discussion. Join us on Tuesday, December 9 for “How Corporate Reputation Drives Brand Equity,” a Cocktails with Content event hosted at Vistria.
Michelle Lynn, Global Head of Data and Insights at Bloomberg, will present highlights from the firm’s second “Corporate Reputation Pulse” Study, and then moderate our panel, featuring:
- Anita Liskey, Senior Managing Director, Global Head, Brand Marketing & Communications, CME Group
- Deana Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer, The Mather Group
- Grace Wood, Brand Marketing Director, Tastytrade
As trust and credibility rise to the top of corporate reputation drivers, marketing and communications leaders are rethinking how reputation and brand equity work in tandem, but on distinct strategic paths. The research from Bloomberg Media shows that reputation delivers on action and conduct, while brand equity is rooted in identity, personality, and market presence — each essential to business performance. Our panel will explore how today’s leaders are navigating this evolving landscape, where reputation drives brand equity, but trust remains the ultimate differentiator.
Sign up to be a Content Champion Sponsor and receive 5 tickets plus branding before and at the event.
Registration/refreshments opens at 4:00pm, with the programming running from 4:30pm-5:15pm… ample time for networking before/after the content. Come out and meet up with new and old friends!
Our thanks to Vistria (Kate Lefurgy), our host sponsor, and Bloomberg Media (Michelle Mullin), our programming partner, for making this event possible.
For more information about FCS Chicago, please contact FCS CEO Kevin Windorf.
