22 October 2019: The Financial Times today announces the launch of FT Strategies, a boutique consulting firm using the FT’s deep experience and expertise in data and technology to help organisations build successful customer-focused businesses. FT Strategies will draw on the firsthand, operational experience of the data scientists, product managers and digital experts who transformed the FT into a subscription-based digital news service.
Led by FT chief data officer Tom Betts, FT Strategies takes a different approach to a traditional consulting business by using a live case study to look at the operational expertise needed to overcome both commercial and cultural barriers to success. By focusing on how to use and democratise data across the organisation, the FT will help clients establish an evidence-based business and culture that enables faster decision making.
“Since 1999, we’ve been transforming the Financial Times from a print publication financed by advertising, to a subscriber-first digital news service. Data sits at the heart of this transformation, enabling us to act on meaningful insights about our audience. This was pivotal to reaching one million paid-for readers earlier this year,” said Betts. “Through FT Strategies, we’ll apply these learnings to help other organisations build long-term and valuable relationships with their customers and stay ahead of disruption in their markets.”
FT Strategies already counts a number of diverse and successful organisations as clients, including Bonnier, The Business of Fashion, Penguin Random House, and the V&A.
Hannah Telfer, managing director for audiences and audio at Penguin Random House UK, said: “Our ambition is for Penguin.co.uk to become the number one online destination for book discovery for readers. We are working with the FT Strategies team to learn from their experience and expertise to establish an outcome-driven model that will allow us to test, learn and scale to help us achieve that goal. As an editorially-led business that has embraced digital, we have found FT Strategies to be a highly credible partner bringing affinity, ambition and expertise.”
More information about FT Strategies can be found here.
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About the Financial Times
The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of one million, three-quarters of which are digital subscriptions. It is part of Nikkei Inc., which provides a broad range of information, news and services for the global business community
For more information:
Katrina Fedczuk / katrina.fedczuk@ft.com / +1 347 213 1944