The Marketing Society's CEO Conversations series took centre stage in our event line-up around the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity 2025, featuring an intimate fireside chat with Dana Strong, Group Chief Executive of Sky. Hosted by our CEO Sophie Devonshire, this special lunchtime event at Mr Nakamoto's at the Mondrian, brought together leading figures in marketing for an afternoon of inspiration, storytelling, and insight from one of Europe's most transformative business leaders. The gathering was made even more memorable with a special musical performance by Tom Grennan, creating the perfect backdrop for meaningful connection and conversation.
Marking Sky’s most prominent presence at Cannes to date, Dana and the Sky Media team were keen to encourage greater collaboration through their ‘Connections Means Everything’ positioning, demonstrating a clear ambition to help advertisers connect more meaningfully with audience and culture - delivering greater impact across advertising and partnerships.
From Glass Ceilings to Global Leadership: Dana Strong's Journey to the Top
In a captivating fireside chat, Dana Strong shared the pivotal moments that shaped her remarkable career journey from a determined teenager in Florida to leading one of Europe's premier media and entertainment companies.
The intimate lunchtime conversation began with Dana painting vivid scenes from her personal "movie of life" – starting with a defining moment at age 15 when her English teacher discussed the glass ceiling.
I was sitting in a class of 25 or 30 people, and I just had this sense that it seems so unfair. I want to be able to help women and girls, and I want to be a business leader.
Dana Strong CEO Sky
Dana recalled, highlighting how this early moment of clarity shaped her career ambition.
A Global Perspective on Leadership
Dana's international experience became a central theme of the discussion, particularly her 11-year chapter in Australia proved formative. " Over time, every role in the company, except for CFO, ultimately reported into me," she explained, describing how the smaller scale allowed her to see immediate consequences of decisions across customer and employee experiences. This hands-on experience in a subscription-based video business with connectivity services laid the foundation for her understanding of how to "pull the dials" of consumer-focused enterprises.
The conversation also touched on the personal side of leadership: the sacrifices and growth that came with frequent international moves alongside her husband of 37 years and their children. From Sydney's beaches to Dublin's neighbourhoods, then London's cultural richness, each relocation enriched her professional journey and global perspective.
Crisis as Catalyst
Perhaps the most powerful moment came when Dana reflected on the dot-com crash of 2001-2002 in Australia. "We were very close to insolvency. Proper cliff edge moment," she shared characteristic candour. This crisis became a defining leadership moment: she had to lay off 30% of the company while maintaining focus and purpose.
It was the first time that I started using culture as a tool for transformation, and brand and consumer as a tool for growth," Dana noted, illustrating how challenge became a catalyst for leadership evolution.
Dana Strong CEO Sky
Strategic Advice for Aspiring Leaders
For marketing professionals aspiring to general management roles, Dana offered three key pieces of advice:
- Develop empathy across all business functions
- Be clear about your motivations beyond just chasing titles
- Build supportive infrastructure around your ambitions.
One particularly resonant insight: "I used to express my ambition in a way that made people feel more safe about it," she explained, advocating for collaborative rather than competitive posture.
Later in the conversation, Dana spoke about her unexpected path to Sky, sharing how a moment from years earlier when a breakfast conversation predicted she would one day run the company, something she thought impossible at the time due to industry allegiances.
A Celebration of Achievement
Following the conversation, guests enjoyed an elegant lunch at Mr Nakamoto's, set to the soundtrack of an intimate Tom Grennan performance – an unforgettable blend of business and creative energy that embodied the spirit of Cannes.
The timing of the event felt particularly special, as it also marked Dana's recent recognition with a CBE in the King's Birthday Honours, in recognition of her services to UK business and creative industries. A fitting tribute to a leader whose impact has been both transformative and far-reaching.
The fireside chat and celebratory lunch demonstrated what makes the CEO Conversations series so special – an opportunity to go beyond the headlines and hear personal, professional, and strategic reflections of the leaders shaping our industry. Dana Strong's combination of commercial acumen, global insight and authentic leadership offered a powerful example of what it means to lead with purpose in a fast-changing media world.
And as Sky continues its transformation from satellite broadcaster to a fully digital, IP-led entertainment powerhouse, Dana’s vision and values remain clear – bringing audiences, partners and customers the joy of a better experience, and that can only be achieved through collaboration.
