From the beginning, Ampersand was designed as a form of slow journalism, giving clients the time and space to engage with ideas in the same way they would with other quality writing.
Do you believe asset managers increasingly need to think and act like media companies to remain relevant?
Brown: Asset managers – or at least their marketing teams – do not need to become media companies, but they do need to think more like them. Clients compare our content with the best writing and analysis they read elsewhere, not just with industry peers.
To remain relevant, marketing has to be more interesting and distinctive. The objective is not volume, but earning attention with insight that is genuinely worth engaging with.
Your team was recently nominated for an Innovation Award. What does “innovation” in asset-management marketing actually mean to you beyond new channels or formats?
Brown: Innovation is not just about new technology or channels – it’s about doing something genuinely different.
We ran a campaign called Not Another Boring Asset Management Video, which deliberately played on industry clichés. The aim was to avoid adding to the noise and instead create something that stood out, even if that meant taking creative risk.
Of course, innovation also includes how marketing can use tools like AI to transform the way we work, but creativity and originality remain the most powerful differentiators.
How do you personally measure whether innovation has real impact – on reputation, client relationships or internal culture?
Brown: Externally, it’s about whether our work changes how we are perceived and remembered. That shows up in brand metrics, engagement quality and the nature of client conversations.
Is there a particular project at M&G Investment that best represents your belief that strong brands create long-term value?
Brown: I would point to our Intelligence Connected brand relaunch in early 2024. It rearticulated how our people think about the brand and the connections we build across the business and with clients.
That clarity led to initiatives such as Ampersand, our Not Another Boring Asset Manager campaigns and the 1931 Padel Club – all examples of how a strong brand platform can translate into meaningful, long-term engagement rather than one-off activity.
M&G Investment has even founded its own Padel Club in London – highly unusual for an asset manager. What was the strategic thinking behind this move?
Brown: The thinking was very deliberate. The 1931 Padel Club is not a single venue, but a series of partnerships with padel clubs, which started in the UK and has since expanded to Germany and France.
It allows us to bring the brand to life in a way that feels human, social and community-driven rather than transactional.
We also introduced a mascot, Padel Man. While unconventional for asset management, evidence shows mascots can have an outsized impact on memorability and engagement. It’s another way of pushing boundaries while remaining true to who we are.
Do you see such initiatives more as client engagement, employer branding or expressions of a broader corporate identity?
Brown: I see them primarily as expressions of a broader corporate identity, while also delivering strong client engagement.
Padel is growing rapidly in the UK and Germany, making it an exciting platform to build relationships in a more social setting and create memorable experiences. Internally, it also generates real energy – helped by the fact that we have some very enthusiastic padel players in our sales teams.
Why do you think many women gravitate towards marketing roles while men more often move into portfolio management later in their careers?
Brown: It’s an issue the industry discusses a lot. Cultural norms, structural barriers and perceptions still play a role, even when graduate intake is balanced.
The solution lies in clearer career paths, supportive cultures and visible role models across all functions, so people feel empowered to pursue the roles they truly want. That has certainly been my experience at M&G Investment.
Have you personally experienced differences in how strategic influence is perceived between investment and marketing roles?
Brown:
That perception does exist in some organisations. But marketing is not less strategic – its impact is simply different and measured over longer time horizons. Increasingly, it is understood as central to growth, reputation and client trust.
What advice would you give to young women considering a career in asset management who may be unsure whether marketing offers long-term influence?
Brown: Don’t feel you have to choose a single, fixed path early on. My own career has spanned multiple functions, and that breadth has been a real advantage.
Choose the path that aligns with your strengths and interests. Long-term influence follows credibility and excellence, whatever the role.
Looking ahead five years, what will distinguish truly modern asset managers in the way they market themselves?
Brown: The most modern asset managers will be comfortable not trying to say everything. Less is more.
They will be clear about who they are, what they stand for and where they genuinely add value. They will invest in brand, use technology intelligently and create marketing that respects clients’ time. Most importantly, they will have the confidence to be distinctive in an industry that still defaults to sameness.
Attention will be even scarcer in five years. The firms that earn it will be the ones that win.
Finally, what still motivates you most in your role – and what do you hope will have changed at M&G Investment by the end of this decade?
Brown: What motivates me most is the opportunity to build something with lasting value. Marketing sits at a fascinating intersection of creativity, strategy and people, which I really enjoy.
By the end of the decade, I hope we will have built a brand at M&G Investment that people feel proud of internally and genuinely connected to externally. If we are known for being relevant, confident and distinctive – and if marketing is seen as a trusted strategic partner to the business – that would be fantastic.