Kesewa Hennessy is the Digital Editor for Audience Engagement at the Financial Times, a London-based global news organisation.
She leads initiatives aimed at increasing women readers’ engagement, using audience data to encourage changes to both content and newsroom culture that will make the FT feel more relevant.
She is looking at ways to use the same principles to build the engagement of minority ethnic readers – a tall order that nevertheless feels more feasible following the turmoil of 2020 than it did in the industry she joined 25 years ago.
Fortunately, not having the benefit of a budget or a team, she’s found effective ways to manage newsroom culture change relatively smoothly in areas with considerable potential for friction.
As a writer and editor, Kesewa works to bring a wider range of perspectives to a 130-year-old publication wherever possible.
Her favourite reading devices have pages you have to physically turn over.