062 Sally Rushton
Head of Marketing, LHV Bank
Sally Rushton is Head of Marketing at LHV Bank. Before leading marketing in-house, she had strategy and social media roles in agencies, working with first direct, HSBC, Monzo, and a wide range of other clients. She’s also a volunteer for Smart Works Charity, working as a career coach to give women the confidence to get back into work.
“People change, data evolves, technology shifts.”
The interview
What’s your coffee ritual?
I like 3 - 4 coffees in the morning and then switch to tea (only Yorkshire Tea) in the afternoon. I take my own teabags when visiting our London office. I live for caffeine.
What was your first marketing job?
I worked in PR at Grayling in Leeds during my studies there, as well as doing placements with retailer Next (great fun at the press office in London).
What finance apps do you have on your home screen?
Controversially not on my home screen… but LHV Bank of course! Nice and tidy in a Money folder.
Which newsletter, podcast, or book do you recommend most?
I am a die-hard listener and fan girl of How to Fail with Elizabeth Day. I’ve listened to it since inception, read the books, and seen the live shows. It’s a great reminder that there’s no such thing as failure – only data acquisition.
What’s an underrated growth channel in fintech?
Organic social. Yes of course paid social has a place too, but building a community and taking an active role is so important. Not just to celebrate our people but to build genuine connections within fintech.
What keeps you up at night?
Often my two cockerpoo dogs hogging the bed. Sometimes my to-do list. But I like to keep busy. Being part of LHV’s journey is a truly exciting opportunity – it’s not often you get to help build a new bank.
What are the most useful measurement tools you use in your work?
I like poring over search data - so Google Trends data - to look at search behaviour as well as social search too. It tells you so much about how people are influenced by brand and marketing.
What’s one fintech brand (other than your own) that’s getting marketing right?
I will never not be impressed by Monzo’s approach to sponsorship and brand activations – they get how to integrate a brand without just slapping a logo down. Authentic, fan first, and experience-led.
Why is marketing so hard?
Pace of change. People change, data evolves, technology shifts. Sometimes that change can make things overwhelming. But I believe if you remain true to the fundamentals of your brand and audience, you won’t fail.