At a roundtable discussion hosted by Communicate magazine, communications professionals discussed the growing influence of executives’ presence on social media and the battle to protect authenticity. This event was sponsored by OneFifty Consultancy.

Often, breakfast can be a subdued and bleary-eyed affair. At a recent roundtable event hosted by Communicate magazine and OneFifty Consultancy in London, however, the room hummed with lively conversation, fuelled by pancakes, copious cups of coffee and passionate opinions.

Communicate invited communications professionals from a host of industries, including the RSA, BT Group, Microsoft and more, to gain some valuable insights into the topics and trends that are driving corporate communications today. The central point of discussion was new research from OneFifty Consultancy showing that, following changes to the platform’s algorithm, LinkedIn now favours individual over brand engagement.

According to OneFifty’s ‘People Over Pages’ report, CEOs receive 35% more engagements than those from company accounts, despite having less than 10% of the following of their brand. The same research uncovered a trend in business leaders becoming more intentional in how they use their personal profiles. Andrew Thomas, publisher at Communicate magazine, ignited debate by asking: “Is LinkedIn the new FT?”

Indeed, the report’s findings struck a chord in the room, with many attendees describing how they are already encouraging senior executives to embrace the platform. “On LinkedIn, we are telling executives to aim for a balance: one-third about the company, one-third about industry trends and one-third personal content,” one attendee said. Another added: “When leaders talk about their passions or share personal stories, engagement skyrockets.”

As a result, communications professionals are prompting leaders to balance professional insights with more personal anecdotes, with some executives sharing stories about their hobbies, community involvement or the social causes they are passionate about. The roundtable discussion became more animated as attendees emphasised that balanced, personalised storytelling is not only about aesthetics but is also becoming a critical business function today. 

The focus on authenticity has become part of a broader trend, where corporate leaders are increasingly positioned as ‘thought leaders’ on LinkedIn, where their followers eagerly await personal insights and unique perspectives. Monthly performance reports show metrics comparing executives to their industry peers, pushing leaders to be more engaged on the platform. “It’s not just about visibility. Executives want to know they’re connecting with the right counterparts,” one attendee observed.

There was a push for caution, however, as the group observed that, while many audiences expect direct, personal statements, senior leadership often hesitates, wary of repercussions or of fuelling further backlash. One attendee highlighted that relying on controlled, corporate channels can sometimes lead to public scepticism, whereas more personal messages resonate deeply but require thoughtful alignment with the company’s broader strategy.

Nevertheless, several attendees described turning to LinkedIn to pre-emptively manage crises. One commented that sharing consistent, genuine business updates can create a foundation of trust, which becomes even more valuable during sensitive events. As one attendee noted, large organisations often manage multiple LinkedIn pages to maintain engagement across various regions. “If we didn’t have regional pages, local offices would struggle to gain visibility.”

To craft content that would ensure brand consistency, some companies turn to platforms such as Canva. Attendees emphasised the importance of maintaining quality to avoid overwhelming audiences, with one describing how their organisations had even developed guidelines for consistency and professionalism in emoji usage.

Naturally, it was not long before the topic of AI arose. As personalised and authentic content has become integral to communications strategies, perhaps ironically, many are turning to AI tools to humanise their social media presence. However, not everyone was convinced; while AI simplifies content creation, there was ardent consensus that authenticity must remain a top priority. “For LinkedIn posts to resonate, they need to reflect the individual’s voice,” one attendee said. “When AI-created content misses the mark, audiences can sense that, and it affects engagement.”

Another was equally critical, adding: “AI might be good for a first draft, but you still need a human to refine it. You can’t just rely on it entirely: there is an art to crafting messages, which AI can’t yet master.”

As the morning came to an end and empty coffee cups were stacked, Thomas closed the event by emphasising the importance of cross-sector dialogue. This felt especially pertinent today, against a backdrop of new, rapidly developing technology. “As AI improves, it will be harder to tell what is AI-generated and what is real,” one attendee observed. “We are already reaching a point where it’s challenging to discern authentic writing from AI. That is why keeping the human touch in content is essential.”

Communicate magazine co-hosted this roundtable with London-based social and digital marketing consultancy OneFifty Consultancy.