​In our latest Comms Coffee Club podcast episode, Max Forsyth spoke with Ngaire Moyes, former EMEA and APAC Head of Brand and Communications at LinkedIn, about her remarkable 30-year career in technology communications. From witnessing the arrival of personal computers to steering LinkedIn's communications during its transformation into a billion-user platform, Ngaire shares invaluable insights about building brands and managing communications in fast-growing tech companies.

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​Early Days and Career Progression

Ngaire's journey into communications began with a university notice board job posting for IBM. Her fascination with technology, sparked by her father bringing home one of the first portable computers, led to roles across IBM, Microsoft and eventually LinkedIn. "I loved the energy and innovation in tech companies", she explains. "When you launch a product and see it in the papers the next day, that was hugely satisfying."

Building LinkedIn's Brand Beyond the Professional Elite

When Ngaire joined LinkedIn in 2011, the platform had just 80,000 members and 30 staff in London. The early adopters were predominantly successful, older white men - a demographic that needed to change if LinkedIn was to achieve its mission of transforming careers for every professional worldwide.

"Success means different things to different people", Ngaire notes. "For some, it's the corner office and big title. For others, it's finding great work-life balance." This insight drove a multi-year campaign to make LinkedIn more accessible and appeal to diverse audiences, particularly Gen Z.

One creative initiative was 'The LinkedIn' - a series of pub pop-ups around Britain where local employers, job seekers and LinkedIn staff came together. This helped demystify the platform for younger users in a familiar, comfortable setting. The strategy worked - Gen Z is now LinkedIn's fastest-growing audience.

Managing Communications During Rapid Growth

Growing from a start-up to a global platform brought significant challenges. Ngaire recalls LinkedIn's first major crisis in 2011 - a password theft that dominated headlines for over a week. While the external response was solid, it highlighted the need for more robust processes as the company scaled.

"Reid Hoffman described it as flying the plane while building it", she says. "You're operating at incredible pace and usually doing things for the first time." The key was fostering a culture that encouraged learning from mistakes rather than punishing them.

Bringing Brand and Communications Together

When brand and communications were merged under Ngaire's leadership, it initially faced resistance from both teams. Her approach focused on three elements: maintaining specialist expertise while working together, proving the model quickly through action, and developing a clear vision for what the integrated team could uniquely deliver.

"Audiences today are incredibly attuned to anything that feels off", Ngaire explains. "Any interaction they have with your brand that doesn't align with your stated values gets noticed immediately." This makes the integration of brand and communications increasingly vital.

Looking Ahead: AI and Communications

Discussing the future, Ngaire is optimistic about AI's potential to transform communications work, particularly in measurement and productivity. However, she emphasises that relationship building - whether with media or internal stakeholders - will remain fundamentally human.

She points to Microsoft Chief Communications Officer Frank Shaw's recent guidance: "Well told stories to make complex worlds accessible." This feels particularly relevant as communications teams help organisations navigate the implications of AI and other emerging technologies.

Final Thoughts

From witnessing the personal computer revolution to helping build one of the world's largest professional networks, Ngaire's career spans several transformative eras in technology. Her insights on integrating brand and communications, managing growth, and adapting to change offer valuable lessons for communications professionals at every level.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube for more detailed insights into building global brands, managing communications through rapid growth, and preparing for AI's impact on our industry.

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