Adapting corporate digital for AI: lessons from Shell and HSBC

Andrew Rigby. Andrew is a white man with short dark hair and a short beard. He is wearing an informal blazer and an open-necked collared shirt. Andrew Rigby | 21 Apr 2026

Director of Consulting Andrew Rigby shares his key takeaways from a panel discussion with Christina Ruby, Digital Channels Lead at Shell, and James Cadman, Head of Group Channels at HSBC, as they spoke about the ways their teams have been embracing AI. 

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James, Christina and Andrew on the panel in Berlin

I was honoured to host a panel session at the 4th Web Performance Summit that Bowen Craggs recently hosted in Berlin with Vogel Corporate Solutions and the Axel Springer Academy of Journalism & Technology.

It was a delight to be joined by Christina Ruby, Digital Channels Lead at Shell, and James Cadman, Head of Group Channels, HSBC, as they shared some of the ways that their teams have been embracing AI. Both shell.com and hsbc.com are worth a look now and over the coming months; there are already some obvious ways they are adapting for AI, with more to follow.  

Beyond the panel, the summit was an insightful event full of illuminating presentations – as Scott has written about and summarised the key points – as well as a chance to catch up with fellow corporate digital professionals.

As well as all the practical tips and strategic lessons, one thing really stood out for me – and that was the excitement and optimism for the future of digital communications. AI is shaking things up in our industry in a massive way, and that can at times be daunting. But it is creating huge opportunities too.

Using data to shape development, rather than being hamstrung by it

What’s more, digital communications teams have the experience, skills and mindset to seize those opportunities, because they have been here – or somewhere quite like it – before. This was one of the observations that Christina made after the panel: it’s reminiscent of the initial social media boom, but now “the stakes are higher”, because AI can take into account everything that exists about your business online.

Your owned channels are the centre of it all, where you have the most control over your story. Which in turn means that great content, supporting key messages, is vital – the very thing that communications teams are best placed to deliver.

And the lessons and skills learned by teams when adapting to social media are even more important today, with two in particular standing out through the panel discussions.

Firstly, a desire to use data to drive decisions, but balancing this with an entrepreneurial willingness to try new things to see what works and what doesn’t; in other words, using data to shape development, rather than being hamstrung by it. This is especially important given the state of flux in measuring AI visibility; Christina and James agreed that using multiple tools, and doing your own testing, is vital at present. 

Secondly, collaboration is key; what you say about your business must be consistent and co-ordinated across all the other channels, offline too, and in campaigns, ads, and earned media. AI exposes silos and messaging misalignment like never before – and digital communications teams can be the bridge between the different departments and functions in your business. Both panellists noted that the enthusiasm in their own organisations to adopt AI makes this task easier to achieve.

It’s an exciting time – with your own digital channels, and digital teams, at the heart of this step-change in online reputation and brand-building.

What you say about your business must be consistent and co-ordinated

Our subscribers can find collections of our writing on AI and Content and channel strategy in the Bowen Craggs Hub (login required)

If you would like to be part of next year's Web Performance Summit, get in touch with Tom Golden tgolden@bowencraggs.com

Bowen Craggs Advises on all aspects of corporate digital communications. If you would like to learn more, please reach out to Tom

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