In this episode of the Financial Marketing Insights podcast, we spoke with Shakeela Williamson - seasoned financial services marketer and regular speaker on the global circuit - about her career journey, her take on B2B vs B2C marketing, and why storytelling is central to building emotional connection.

From Domestic & General to Citi, Shakeela has led marketing across insurance, global payments, and wealth management. Her experience spans more than two decades - and her insights reflect a rare versatility.

From Retail Roots to Financial Services Leadership

Shakeela’s career began in retail, but it wasn’t long before she found her footing in financial services.

“I’ve been in financial services for probably around 23 years now,” she said. “I started at Domestic and General in insurance, and I progressed up the career ladder there - starting with digital, then moving into digital marketing, and eventually broader marketing leadership.”

From there, she moved to MoneyCorp, a global payments company, and most recently led marketing for Citi’s consumer bank, focusing on high-net-worth individuals in the wealth management division.

“It hasn’t just been one segment or sector,” she explained. “It’s been quite broad.”

B2B vs B2C: The Real Differences

Shakeela’s experience spans both B2B and B2C marketing - and she’s quick to point out that while the fundamentals remain the same, the execution differs.

“With B2B, it’s longer buying times and longer consideration,” she said. “You need to develop emotional connection and storytelling more deeply. The content you produce - and how it relates to customer experience and pain points - is more important.”

By contrast, B2C tends to be more immediate. But Shakeela believes that the core principles of marketing - understanding the customer, crafting compelling narratives, and delivering value - apply across both domains.

Driving Transformation: Automation, Growth, and Recognition

When asked about a standout project from her career, Shakeela doesn’t hesitate.

“There’s so many projects I’ve loved,” she said. “But the one that really stands out is when I was at MoneyCorp.”

Joining during a period of major transformation, Shakeela took on the role of e-commerce manager with a clear mission: automate the onboarding journey and accelerate customer acquisition.

“Everything was quite manual - leads, accounts, onboarding. My job was to automate it all and transform the experience.”

With MoneyCorp backed by private equity and focused on high growth, the stakes were high. Shakeela’s work helped streamline sign-ups, speed up trading, and ultimately double conversion rates - delivering millions in incremental revenue.

Her efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Shakeela received a company-wide award for outstanding achievement, presented by the CEO in front of 600 employees - a moment she describes as one of the proudest of her career.

“I love making a difference. That’s what drives me.”

Building Trust in a Low-Trust Industry

Shakeela’s recent visibility on LinkedIn isn’t just about staying active - it’s part of a deliberate effort to challenge herself and build her personal brand.

“I’ve been putting myself out of my comfort zone,” she said. “It’s about pushing yourself and growing.”

That mindset carries into her views on financial services marketing, where trust remains a central challenge.

“It’s your money - you need to really trust that organization,” she explained. “One of the biggest challenges for marketers is developing that relationship, improving trust, and building credibility and authority.”

Shakeela believes that marketers must advocate for brand investment internally - especially when short-term results dominate the conversation.

“It’s all about communication with the leadership team,” she said. “You need to explain why brand matters. Building awareness leads to emotional connection, credibility, and ultimately long-term profit.”

Metrics That Matter: From Funnels to Lifetime Value

At the recent EMEA Financial Services Marketing Leaders’ Summit, Shakeela joined a panel discussion on marketing metrics - and she’s passionate about the topic.

“I love this stuff,” she said. “I’m very much about data - how funnels shift, how ROI is impacted.”

Her favorite metric? Lifetime value.

“It gives you a full picture - not just acquisition, but how customers drive value over time. It helps you segment audiences, prioritize resources, and understand which channels deliver the most profit.”

Other key metrics for Shakeela include acquisition cost, revenue, profit, and brand awareness.

“You need both tangible and intangible metrics,” she said. “Consideration, preference, NPS - they’re all critical. You can’t acquire customers if they don’t know your brand.”

AI in Financial Marketing: Promise, Caution, and the Human Touch

Artificial intelligence is dominating the conversation across industries - and financial marketing is no exception. But Shakeela offers a measured view.

“At Citi, it wasn’t being used in the marketing team I was part of,” she said. “But there were a lot of operational projects underway - especially around data processing and records.”

She’s quick to note that AI isn’t new. What’s changing is its visibility and versatility - particularly with generative tools. But in financial services, compliance remains a critical hurdle.

“There’s a lot more work needed to make sure compliance teams are on board,” she explained. “Especially with generative AI, you have to be really careful.”

Shakeela sees AI as a powerful enabler - but not a replacement.

“You can use it to be more efficient, to brainstorm, to process things faster,” she said. “But creativity and the human touch are still so important. That shouldn’t be forgotten.”

Her view echoes a growing sentiment: AI can help with the first draft, but it’s the last mile - where experience, judgment, and originality come in - that defines great marketing.

Trusted Content: The Cornerstone of Connection

For Shakeela, the conversation around AI ultimately circles back to trust - a theme she raised early in the episode.

“In financial services, trust is everything,” she said. “And content plays a huge role in building that.”

At Citi, Shakeela led initiatives like Wealth Insights and Market Updates - content designed not to sell, but to inform.

“That content really resonated. It built credibility and authority. It got the best engagement because it was useful.”

Her approach is clear: solve problems, don’t push products. In a low-trust industry, that’s how marketers build meaningful relationships.

Learning, Mentoring, and the Power of Connection

Shakeela’s inspiration comes from stepping outside her comfort zone - whether through speaking engagements, training courses, or mentoring others.

“One of my favorite quotes is: ‘The comfort zone is a great place, but nothing ever grows there,’” she said. “Pushing yourself and learning something new is fantastic.”

She’s completed the Mini MBA in Marketing with Mark Ritson, explored AI in marketing, and studied how to influence and communicate within organizations. Each experience has helped her grow - and now she’s giving back.

“I’ve started mentoring recently, and I love it. Helping people get to the next level is incredibly inspiring. It’s something I wish I’d had earlier in my career.”

Networking has also become a passion - though it didn’t start that way.

“Last year, I wouldn’t have been seen doing this,” she admitted. “I started small - women in leadership events, women in marketing - and those were easier to connect at. Then I took on speaking opportunities and podcasts like this one.”

Now, she sees networking as a source of joy and opportunity.

“You meet people from different backgrounds, different experiences. It broadens your perspective. You never know what might come from it.”

Accelerating Growth Through Shared Experience

As the conversation drew to a close, Shakeela reflected on the deeper value of networking - not just for inspiration, but for acceleration.

“I’m part of a group called the CMO Circle,” she said. “It’s fabulous. You can ask, ‘Is anyone using this CRM?’ or ‘Any recommendations for automation tools?’ And you get trusted answers from peers. That’s so valuable.”

Jacob added that networking can shortcut months of research - especially when exploring new MarTech.

“You might be considering a new tool. Instead of spending weeks researching, you walk into a room and hear real feedback from people already using it.”

Shakeela agreed: “Referrals are such a powerful marketing channel. And that’s networking too - joining groups, meeting people, sharing insights.”

Kaila closed with a reminder that networking isn’t just about what you gain - it’s about what you give.

“There’s so much we can offer others - whether it’s tech tips, measurement strategies, or event recommendations. Sometimes we’re too humble to realize the value we bring.”

Shakeela smiled: “100%. I’m so in that.”

Final Thoughts: Get Out There

Shakeela Williamson’s story is one of bold moves, strategic thinking, and human connection. From transforming onboarding journeys to mentoring future leaders, she shows that marketing is about more than campaigns - it’s about courage, curiosity, and collaboration.

Her advice? Get out there. Attend the event. Join the group. Make the eye contact. Share the insight.

Because in financial marketing - as in life - the most powerful growth often starts with a simple conversation.