The Future of Media Is Data-Fueled: How Future PLC & Bombora Are Rewriting the Rules of Revenue
# 1st-party data
# Analytics
# Artificial Intelligence
# B2B
# B2C
# Business Transformation
# Data monetization
# Digital Strategy
# Monetization
# Technology
How Future PLC and Bombora Are Turning Data, AI, and Audience Intelligence Into the New Engine of B2B Growth
Heather Holst-Knudsen
When I sat down with Allison Markert, Vice President and Global Head of Strategy & Operations, B2B at Future PLC, and Jaime Schultheis, Head of Global Data Partnerships at Bombora, one thing was crystal clear: the future of media is being written by those who treat data as an engine, not an afterthought.
Both Allison and Jaime are leading the charge in redefining how B2B publishers use first-party and intent data to drive measurable business outcomes. Their partnership between Future and Bombora is not about incremental change; it is about reinvention. Together, they are showing how enriched data and intelligent activation can turn audience understanding into real revenue growth.
From Impressions to Intelligence
Allison and Jaime share a vision that moves far beyond clicks and impressions. By combining Future’s massive first-party data ecosystem with Bombora’s predictive intent signals, they help advertisers identify hidden buyers, reveal white-space opportunities, and measure what truly matters.
As Allison put it during our conversation, “The goal isn’t to serve ads; it’s to serve insight.” That mindset is reshaping how Future engages more than 200 brands across its B2B portfolio, transforming audience data into a foundation for smarter storytelling and stronger results.
Jaime captured it perfectly when she said, “If first-party data is the bread and butter, enriched first-party data is the whole feast.” It is that enrichment that gives brands a complete picture of their audience, powering more authentic connections and higher ROI.
SEE OUR FULL INTERVIEW ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
The Death of Guesswork
What struck me most in this conversation was how both leaders are eliminating guesswork from the media equation. Click-throughs and impressions are no longer the metric of success. What advertisers really want today are receipts, proof that their investment moves the needle in the pipeline.
Future and Bombora are meeting that demand head-on. Their data-driven collaboration tracks the full buying journey from awareness through conversion, giving marketers the ability to see exactly how intent and engagement translate into measurable growth.
AI as a Catalyst for Creative Evolution
AI is changing every corner of our industry, and Allison and Jaime are embracing it with purpose. At Future PLC, AI is not seen as a threat but as a catalyst for innovation. Allison shared how her team developed Ad Genie, an AI-powered tool that rewrites ad creative for newsletters to improve engagement and performance.
Jaime added that AI should be viewed as a way to clear the deck for humans to focus on what only they can do: think critically, solve creatively, and bring meaning to the data. I could not agree more. The most successful media companies of the next decade will be those that use AI to enhance human intelligence, not replace it.
Leading Through Change
Both Allison and Jaime spoke candidly about what it means to lead through nonstop transformation. Allison focuses on clearing the noise so her teams can stay aligned on what really matters. Jaime believes transparency and empathy are essential, especially when technology changes faster than people can process.
Their shared belief is simple but powerful: strategy provides the direction, and communication gives teams the confidence to adapt. It is a masterclass in modern leadership.
Intelligent Reinvention Starts Now
This conversation left me inspired by what true data leadership looks like. Growth today belongs to the companies that turn data into direction and AI into acceleration. The future of media and business will be defined not by who has the most information, but by who can activate it intelligently.
That is exactly the kind of transformation we will continue exploring at RevvedUP 2026, March 23–24 at The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is where CEOs and their C-Suite teams pressure-test how AI, data, and strategy intersect to redefine growth in the AI-first economy.
Because in this new era, incremental change guarantees irrelevance. The only strategy left is intelligent reinvention.
About the Author
Heather Holst-Knudsen is a distinguished figure and expert in the events, media, marketing and technology sectors. Using her extensive experience, she guides clients in adapting to structural economic and market changes, seizing the chance to innovate and evolve. She specializes in digital and data disruption and opportunity, exploring how these overarching factors can impact revenue growth, customer-centricity, operational efficiency, profit margins, and the overall valuation of companies in both public and private markets.
Her journey began at her family business, Thomas Publishing Company, where she honed her skills. She further expanded her expertise by holding positions at early industry giants Miller Freeman, Reed Elsevier, and IDG. Returning to Thomas Publishing, Heather founded and spearheaded Manufacturing Enterprise Communications, an integrated media portfolio connecting buyers and sellers in the manufacturing and technology sectors. Starting in 2015 and spanning the next seven years, she leveraged her expertise as a revenue and business leader in various SaaS businesses, including Feathr, Gleanin, Brella and Edflex.
Heather is deeply passionate about digital innovation, data monetization, and AI and how these strategies fuel revenue growth, profitability, and company valuation. To serve and create value for clients in these areas, she launched H2K Labs, dedicated to generating and leveraging value through data for media, business information, events, and adjacent technology and service markets.
