The term ‘thought leader’ is often loosely applied across marketing and media, but at its most effective, it plays a defined role in shaping brand direction and influence.
That’s the focus of the latest episode of Mediaweek’s Newsmakers, featuring Jenny Haggard, Head of Global Brand Strategy and Thought Leadership Lead at Spotify.
In the episode, Haggard outlines how the role operates in practice – and how it has evolved alongside Spotify’s own growth.
Her approach is grounded in empathy, which she links back to her upbringing and lived experience.
“Everything comes back to how you were raised,” she told Mediaweek’s Newsmakers.
“We should all be empathetic because we don’t know each other’s stories,” she said, adding that she tries to lead “from a place with love and empathy.”
Haggard joined Spotify in 2014 and describes the business at the time as markedly different.
“The Spotify of 2014 looks completely different from the company that I work at now,” she said, pointing to the platform’s early stage, prior to its mobile expansion and before flagship products like Wrapped had taken shape.
“We didn’t even call it Wrapped! We called it Year in Music.”
Since then, Spotify has expanded beyond music into podcasts, video and audiobooks, with personalisation at the core of its strategy.
Despite that growth, she says the company has retained its edge.
“It is a lot easier to turn around a speedboat than it is a cruise ship,” she noted, positioning Spotify’s size relative to larger tech players like Meta and Google as a strategic advantage.
She is also candid about the realities of a long tenure in tech.
“I’ve been at Spotify for 12 years. I’ve not been happy for all 12 years,” Haggard said, pointing to a shift towards focusing on what she can control as key to navigating change.
The full conversation explores how those ideas translate into brand strategy and leadership, as well as Spotify’s next phase – particularly as formats like video podcasts continue to gain traction with younger audiences.
You can listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.