“C-suite level executives want solutions-driven content from trusted sources and to engage with their peers, which is why we are working to lean hard into those core principles over the next five years,” she says.
“We are at the forefront of data storytelling, and we aim to stay there.”
Forbes Media, the global media, branding and technology company, focuses on news and information about business, investing, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership and affluent lifestyles.
Publisher of Forbes magazine – founded by B. C. Forbes, a financial columnist for Hearst newspapers, whose family still co-own the business, and his partner Walter Drey, in 1917 – the company’s portfolio also includes Asia and Forbes Europe magazines, and Forbes.com.
There are 47 licensed local Forbes editions in 80+ countries, TV, conferences, research, social and mobile platforms. All of which contributes to its declared reach of 150 million-plus people worldwide.
Forbes Insights, launched in 2007, conducts original research to help global business audiences of C-suite executives, high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneur, and senior business leaders with “actionable intelligence”, meaning data-driven insights and content.
Haas joined Forbes back in 2002 after sales roles at Ziff Davies, Insight Express and GlamMedia.
Prior to her new Forbes Insights role announced in September 2022, she was Forbes’ SVP, sales & c-suite community lead. She has also served as SVP of brand solutions & strategic partnerships and played a strategic role within Forbes’ CMO Practice.
Organisation-wide
“Forbes Insights has been an incredible part of the organisation as a focus for original research,” she explains.
“We work with brands on original research to really define business needs. But a key differentiator is we not only have a sophisticated research organisation within the company but also an opportunity to amplify and share those insights with global business audiences.
Forbes Insights is not a silo but horizontal across the organisation,” she explains.
Though it has a dedicated team – the size of which is undisclosed – one distinctive characteristic is how it works with insight specialists and functional specialists – designers, for example, and social media strategists – across the Forbes brand portfolio and its 450-strong worldwide workforce.
Another distinctive characteristic is its “design-forward” approach and multiplatform suite of data storytelling products, such as Insight Premium Posts, Insights Stories, Insights Executive Agenda, and Social Cards – formats clients can use to amplify their data storytelling across different platforms and Forbes brands.
Haas cites ‘Accelerated Enterprise: Leading and Winning with the New Hybrid Workforce’ – a programme it has developed with Adobe – as an example of this multiplatform approach in practice.
Adobe wanted to explore hybrid workforce trends for senior IT audiences.
“We did insights, surveys, published two reports, incorporated insights, and stories on Forbes.com. They sponsored the Forbes CIO Summit to bring those conversations into the live arena, talking about them with business leaders,” she explains.
“It was a really effective way to bring in multiplatform. And that’s what we are seeing brands wanting more of – not just a wine and dine, but opportunities to engage, to socialise, to share, to amplify their important learnings.”
Data storytelling has never been more important, Haas believes.
“It’s a critical tool within our sales organisations’ offering to be able to take to our clients,” she says.
“And, among our clients, we are seeing a real emphasis on data storytelling for executive positioning, for identifying future trends, for sales enablement, and for filling the sales pipeline and funnel.”
For years, Forbes Insights’ core business has been working with brands on generating and supporting original thought leadership.
Its annual proprietary CxO Growth Survey, for example – a global study of 500 CEOs, CMOs, CIOs, CFOs and CHROs at companies with annual revenues of more than $1billion – examines and monitors how C-suite executives chart a course for long-term sustainable business growth.
Now, following new investment to expand its proprietary research capabilities – and its suite of products designed to distribute and amplify its insights in relevant and engaging ways that maximise its potential reach – Haas is overseeing its realignment around three core pillars: data-driven content, proprietary research, and proactive research.
Future priorities
Moving forward, the focus will be on sustainability, talent / education, the enterprise metaverse, and healthcare – key priorities for its audiences identified by CxO Growth. These themes will provide a platform for further new products, such as State of Sustainability.
This new annual report launching within the next six months takes a deep dive into how Forbes’ C-suite communities are navigating, investing, collaborating and goalsetting to define the state of sustainability in business and share insights and lessons learned.
“The realignment enables us to continue our core business and expand Forbes Insights into really important market-defining areas as C-suite executives seek solutions to how to grow their business sustainably through uncertain economic times,” Haas adds.
Looking to the future, she says her aim will be to continue growing and building on the Forbes’ heritage, brand and strength as a platform for its partners.
Key to its strength, so far, has been thinking strategically when building data-driven content. This means considering from the get-go how it will appear on Forbes.com, how to support it with social communication, how it looks and feels at a live event or round table, or in video.
“We believe we are at the forefront on that and we intend to remain so from a content standpoint by learning from and partnering with the brightest and best to tell stories in innovative ways,” she says.
“Because the way content is being consumed is changing – among Millennials and Gen Z audiences, especially, whose consumption wants and needs are very different. Our aim is to meet them where they are with the type of data and the visual appeal they are looking for.”
