BlueSky Media Connect Workshop
In-House Publishing Strategies
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What You'll Discover In This 60-Minute Deep Dive
In this exclusive 60-minute workshop, communications leaders from IMD and IE University reveal how they built thought leadership platforms that reach over 1 million users annually and outperform traditional marketing.
Delia Fischer (I by IMD) and Kerry Parke (IE Insights) share practical strategies for launching editorial platforms from scratch, building effective small teams that maintain editorial independence, and helping faculty translate complex research into accessible content.
Learn about optimal article lengths, multi-format content strategies, strategic partnerships with The New York Times and other major publications, and why thought leadership content consistently delivers better ROI than conventional marketing approaches.
Discover the real challenges of balancing editorial independence with institutional goals, measuring success beyond page views (faculty satisfaction, cross-school collaboration, speaking opportunities), and managing the tension between marketing teams who want more content and editorial teams committed to maintaining rigorous standards.
The speakers candidly discuss what does and doesn't work and share lessons learned about when to pivot and when to persevere. Whether you're exploring launching a platform or optimising an existing one, you'll gain actionable insights from two industry leaders who've successfully built registered media houses within business school environments.
This recording is essential viewing for communications directors, marketing leaders, dean's office staff, and content strategy professionals at business schools and universities who want to amplify research impact, demonstrate thought leadership ROI, and create meaningful connections between academia and practice.
About Your Host
Few know the intersection of business education and global media better than Matt Symonds. A former journalist for the BBC, The Economist, Forbes, and Bloomberg, Matt is Editor-in-Chief of BlueSky Thinking and is also the S in QS Quacquarelli Symonds. He co-founded and hosts the CentreCourt MBA & Masters Festivals with John Byrne and Poets & Quants, and is an expert in crafting meaningful dialogue between media and higher education.
With over 20 years of experience organising high-profile media conferences in London, Paris, and beyond, Matt brings unparalleled insight into what makes stories resonate and how communications professionals can earn their place in the global news cycle.
Featured Guests
Delia Fischer
Chief Communications Officer, IMD Business School
Delia Fischer is Chief Communications Officer and member of the Executive Committee at IMD Business School, where she founded and leads i by IMD, the school's first magazine and content ecosystem that has grown to reach over 1 million unique users annually. A trained journalist with a Master's in Business Science from the University of Economics in Vienna, Delia brings more than two decades of high-profile media and communications experience, including 15 years with FIFA as Head of Media overseeing FIFA World Cup communications, and serving as Global Head of Corporate Communications for The Adecco Group. Under her leadership, i by IMD has become a registered Swiss media house, secured a content partnership with The New York Times, and established itself as a global voice in business thought leadership. Fluent in five languages, Delia serves on editorial advisory boards alongside leaders from publications including the Financial Times and Wired Magazine.
Kerry Parke
Editor-in-Chief, IE Insights, IE University
Kerry Parke is Editor-in-Chief of IE Insights, IE University's thought leadership publication, which she founded and launched in 2020 during the pandemic, building a fully remote editorial team from scratch. A Bucknell University graduate with a communications and editorial background, Kerry has developed a distinctive editorial approach that emphasizes visual storytelling, fact-checked video content with overlaid data, and rigorous editing that serves as media training for contributors. Under her leadership, IE Insights publishes three pieces of unique content weekly spanning articles, videos, interactive explainers, and the newly launched "Power and Purpose" podcast in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, drawing from all six schools of IE University plus external thought leaders. Self-described as "a purist at the base of my soul" about editorial independence, Kerry has demonstrated how maintaining clear boundaries between editorial content and institutional marketing can make thought leadership one of the most effective tools in a business school's communications strategy.
About the Platforms
i by IMD is a registered Swiss media house launched in 2020, delivering expert-led business intelligence to global leaders with 1 million unique users annually, 150,000 email newsletter subscribers, and content syndicated by The New York Times alongside The Economist and Fortune.
IE Insights is IE University's thought leadership publication founded in 2020, publishing three pieces of unique content weekly across all university schools, featuring the "Power and Purpose" podcast in partnership with Johns Hopkins University.