In this episode of the Financial Marketing Insights podcast, we interviewed Gary Mercer, Head of Marketing Communications at Swift, on his journey through financial services marketing - and how collaborative thinking has shaped every step.

From early-career strategy roles to leading global brand transformation, Gary shares how financial marketers can foster connection, credibility, and creativity.

From Sports Aspirations to Financial Strategy

Gary Mercer didn’t set out to work in banking - he originally pursued a degree in sports marketing, with ambitions of breaking into athletics and live events.

“In my teenage years, I always thought I’d work in sport,” he said. “I studied it at university and started out helping run niche fishing tournaments and community events in Portsmouth - it taught me a lot about logistics and customer engagement.”

After spending a year traveling with his partner, Gary pivoted toward London, hoping to stay within the world of sports - but the industry was tough to crack. A role in competitor analysis at Royal Bank of Scotland caught his eye, and his marketing instincts soon found a new home.

“It was a dynamic time at RBS - post-NatWest, massive growth, and I was absorbing everything. That role taught me the importance of tracking industry trends and learning the language of finance.”

From there, his career grew steadily - with strategic roles at Lloyds and HSBC, where he spent eight years in senior marketing positions across financial institutions and transaction banking.

Reintroducing Swift: Shaping Brand, Building Trust

Gary joined Swift in 2021, to help elevate the newly-rebranded Swift’s story in the external market and reframe perceptions.

“We weren’t pushing products. We were telling a story about global collaboration - and making sure the right people heard it.”

Out-of-home campaigns appeared in London, Hong Kong, Las Vegas - helping Swift claim its place not just as infrastructure, but as a trusted driver of global economic activity.

“Swift started with a group of banks solving a shared problem. We now move the equivalent of the world’s GDP over our network every three days, safely and securely.”

Sibos and the Power of Connection

Gary’s relationship with Sibos, Swift's international finance conference, is deep - attending from both sides of the stage. At HSBC, he ran strategy and cracked one of Sibos’ most elusive goals: tracking ROI.

“London Sibos 2019 was our breakthrough. We tied meetings to pipeline revenue, tracked media, and showed real attribution.”

Then came the pandemic. The barista from HSBC’s stand - Franco - was a cult figure for Sibos and Gary brought him online for “Coffee with Franco” tutorials, teaching people to make flat whites and cappuccinos during the digital-only Sibos.

“It was a fun way to recreate connection. You lose some of the magic digitally, so we found new ways to bring people together.”

Today, Swift continues that spirit. This year’s Sibos Policy Lab will bring regulators, banks, and policymakers together to discuss the big-picture issues shaping the future of finance.

“There’s no more banks vs fintechs. Everyone is collaborating now - and Sibos is the stage.”

The Role of Modern Marketers: Strategy Meets Tech

Asked about top challenges facing marketers today, Gary points first to fluency - in numbers, investment language, and value creation.

“Understand the business, the balance sheet, the finance team’s mindset. That fluency changes every conversation.”

Then comes AI. Gary and his team have been exploring the opportunities that AI presents. The tech’s potential is obvious - but marketers are still learning.

“AI is exciting, but we haven’t cracked it yet. Prompting, repurposing, and enhancing workflows - it’s all still evolving.”

Personalization is also front of mind, and so is tone.

“Talk like you’re speaking to someone real. Cut the jargon. Marketing should feel human - not like a finance textbook.”

Swift’s recent web overhaul prioritized audience clarity. While machine-readable content and SEO-style optimization may gain importance, the team remains focused on value for human readers.

Leading with Autonomy and Creative Trust

“You set the strategy, and let people bring the ideas. Then you workshop, refine, and collaborate with creatives to make it sing.”

Working with Swift’s brand team is a highlight for Gary - blending business outcomes with bold design and storytelling.

He’s also a news junkie - reading the FT, The Times, and following B2C marketers on LinkedIn for inspiration. Consumer marketing, he believes, often leads the way in tone, clarity, and storytelling.

“The lines are blurring - and B2B has a lot to learn from B2C, especially around how people actually want to be spoken to.”

Final Thoughts: Collaboration as Compass

Gary Mercer’s story is defined by reinvention - and anchored by one core principle: collaboration. Whether reshaping how Swift communicates, optimizing ROI from global events, or empowering his team to think creatively, success comes from bringing people together.

“Swift is proud of its roots. And I’m proud to help tell that story - clearly, creatively, and collaboratively.”

In an age of digital acceleration, that mindset might be the marketer’s most powerful tool.