Steve John | Influence 100
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Steve John

Chief Communications & Brand Officer
HSBC
Australia

A relatively low profile did not stop Steve John from establishing himself as one of the UK’s most respected communications leaders, nor did it hamper his ability to land the coveted role as HSBC’s chief communications officer role in late 2019. Since then the banking giant has faced a series of reputation challenges tied to its unique positioning as a company that straddles the West and East and — increasingly — is being forced to make tough choices.

John has navigated these issues, along with the Covid pandemic, with assurance, having previously overseen communications at management consulting firm McKinsey since 2014. Prior to that, John spent five years as corporate affairs director at Bupa, after a similar role at PepsiCo UK and Ireland.