The TrustMakers

Becky Frankiewicz, Chief Commercial Officer and President, North America, of ManpowerGroup joins the Edelman Trust Institute’s Justin Blake at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos to talk about the rise of the empowered workforce, unleashing human potential through upskilling, and the importance of companies living, and acting on, their values. “If we don’t future-proof the human beings and workers we have today for tomorrow, we will suffer in terms of economic growth. It’s moved from a ‘right thing to do’ to a business imperative for growth.”” she says.

CNN International Anchor and Correspondent, Richard Quest, sits down with the Edelman Trust Institute’s Justin Blake on the ground at Davos for a vivacious conversation from the evolution of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting to the importance of CEOs leading with integrity. “The problem with most CEOs is they’re scared of their own shadow. The really great CEOs are the ones who will take a view,” he says.

Historian, Adam Tooze joins the Edelman Trust Institute’s Justin Blake on the ground at Davos to discuss this year’s Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. Adam lays out the largest challenges facing today’s business leaders and how it aligns with the ethos of Davos. “If you’re running a big corporation in a diverse society, you have to align with what is understood to be the best hope of a more equitable, and therefore more peaceful, society.” he says. 

Cadillac’s Chief Marketing Officer, Melissa Grady Dias, sits down with Edelman’s Yannis Kotziagkiaouridis to talk about how she measures trust in one of the world’s most iconic automobile brands. “Emotion is so important to us…driving emotional demand for our brand,” she says.

LinkedIn Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Mel Selcher sits down with Edelman’s Global Chief Brand Officer, Jackie Cooper, to unpack why LinkedIn is an outlier when it comes to trust in social media. “We’re deeply, deeply committed to creating that place for safe, trusted and professional conversations,” Selcher said. “We have built the company with trust at our core.”  

Co-host of the popular podcast “Brown Table Talk” and Head of Inclusion, Equity and Impact at Carta, Mita Mallick joins the TrustMakers to talk with Edelman’s Smita Reddy about the power of inclusive storytelling in building brand trust. “Our relationships with brands are like our relationships with each other…how are you going to rebuild the trust in the relationship?” Mallick says.  

Health economist, consultant and blogger Jane Sarasohn-Kahn helps unpack the findings from our recently launched Trust Barometer Special Report: Trust and Health in conversation with Edelman’s Chief Strategist of Health Practice, Lynn Hanessian. “Every company has to be a health company,” Sarasohn-Kahn says of the role employers can play in providing quality health information and rebuilding trust in the health ecosystem.  

Melissa Hobley, CMO of OkCupid, shares insights on building brand trust. They discuss the success of OkCupid's bold DTF campaign, the importance of brands taking action on social issues, building brand trust through collaborations with organizations, and the significance of inclusivity and representation in business.

“The headline here is that lost trust can be regained,” says Sandra Sucher, Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School. In conversation with Edelman Trust Institute Executive Director Justin Blake, Sucher unpacks the 2022 Trust Barometer, sheds light on her latest findings and makes clear that trust – at the personal or corporate level – is impossible without vulnerability. “Trust is built from the inside, out,” she argues.

Former New York Times technology reporter Taylor Lorenz busts myths about Gen Z in a wide-ranging conversation with Jackie Cooper, Edelman’s Global Chief Brand Officer. Lorenz, whose nuanced reporting has earned her the trust of many Gen Zers, offers her insights on everything from the Birds Aren’t Real Movement to fake news to how brands can harness the power of Gen Z content creators. “I like to think of myself less as a gatekeeper, and more as a conduit” to Gen Z, Lorenz says.