Summit

Tuesday, March 11

6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Welcome Reception at the Heineken Experience

Address: Stadhouderskade 78 1072 AE Amsterdam

Kick off the Subscription Summit 2025 in Amsterdam’s iconic Heineken Experience. Immerse yourself in interactive storytelling that brings a legacy brand to life, offering inspiration for audience engagement and lasting impressions. Pour, taste, and “be the beer” while connecting with colleagues from around the world in a fun and memorable setting!

You can pick up your summit badge at the Heineken Expereince.

Wednesday, March 12

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Registration and welcome coffee

Address: Piet Heinkade 179, 1019 HC Amsterdam, Netherlands

Head to the Pakhuis de Zwijger, the venue for the Media Subscriptions Summit. Get your registration credentials and settle into the networking lounge for coffee, tea, and snacks. Meet colleagues and connect with INMA speakers and leaders.

9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Today’s theme: The next phase of the subscriber-first revolution

Today’s sessions overlay the value of journalism and news brands with the technological shifts impacting media’s progress with a readers-first focus. We will tell this story through inspiring case studies focused on scaling up, emerging growth engines, premiumising journalism and storytelling, and AI’s impact on marketing.

Moderators
Idalmy Carrera-Colucci
Idalmy Carrera-Colucci
Summit Co-Moderator, Chief of Staff, Blue Engine Collaborative, United States
Robert Whitehead
Robert Whitehead
Summit Co-Moderator, and Lead, Digital Platform Initiative, INMA, Australia

9:00 a.m. - 9:20 a.m.

Welcome and introductions

Goedendag! Kick off the Amsterdam summit with a warm Dutch “welkom” and a brief overview of the packed agenda. We’ll set the stage for three days of lectures, case studies, and discussions.

9:20 a.m. - 9:35 a.m.

Media subscriptions in 2025: The shift to profitable growth

As many in the media industry pivot from maximising market share to a more sustainable, value-driven approach to growth, INMA’s benchmarking data spotlights the most profitable strategies that might power your subscriptions in 2025.

Speaker
Greg PiechotaWhitehead
Greg Piechota
Summit Curator, and Readers First Initiative Lead, INMA, United Kingdom

9:35 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.

Humans vs. machines: Navigating the AI tsunami in your business and workplace

In a world flooded with AI-generated content, how can we stand out, combat misinformation, and stay profitable? How can we collaborate with AI as journalists and marketers? In this opening keynote, Kozminski University and Harvard Professor Aleksandra Przegalinska – co-author of “Strategizing AI in Business and Education” and “Converging Minds” – explores how AI is reshaping consumer behaviour, company strategy, and operations.

Speaker
Aleksandra Przegalinska
Aleksandra Przegalinska
Associate Professor and Vice Rector for Innovations, Kozminski University, Poland; and Senior Research Associate, Harvard University, United States

10:20 a.m. - 10:40 a.m.

Train your AI agent: Live prompting for a subscription success

Help us train your future AI-powered subscription manager in this fast-paced, interactive session. With your smartphone as a controller, you’ll tackle real-world challenges across the entire lifecycle — from beginners to mature programs, and from acquisition to retention — and see which tactics drive the most growth. Discover which strategies yield the highest impact for your peers, and walk away with fresh ideas to try at home.

10:40 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.

Networking break

Time to breathe. Grab a cup of tea, recharge, and connect with colleagues who share your passion for journalism, digital media, and subscriptions.

11:20 a.m. - 12:55 p.m.

Balancing scale and loyalty: How much is good enough?

Should you focus on acquiring more subscribers or nurturing deeper loyalty with the ones you already have? In this session, leaders from diverse markets – from elite to mass-market, local to national – share hard-won lessons on balancing rapid growth with sustainable value. Learn how they navigate key trade-offs: volume vs. value, acquisition vs. retention, digital vs. print, and advertising vs. subscriptions.

Speakers
Koen Meeusen
Koen Meeusen
Sales Director, Readers Market, Mediahuis, Belgium
Todd Olsted
Todd Olsted
Vice-President, Bundle Subscription Strategy, Dow Jones, United States
Sanjay Sindhwani
Sanjay Sindhwani
Chief Executive Officer, The Indian Express Online Media Services, India
Johanna Suhonen
Johanna Suhonen
Vice President, Content Business, Alma Media, Finland

12:55 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Seminar preview: Content analytics, personalisation and yield management

Meet the moderators of Friday in-depth seminars curated together with FT Strategies, Mather and Piano, and hear the highlights of their case studies.

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Networking lunch

Pause for a bite. Reflect on the morning’s insights, and trade ideas with fellow media innovators over a shared meal.

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Intelligent paywalls: Lessons from moving beyond one-size-fits-all offers

The tech finally works. Intelligent paywalls are surging, driven by advances in data analytics and AI, publishers’ maturity, and shifting user expectations. How do the numbers add up? When to switch? To build or to buy? In this session, the technology early adopters reveal how they are leveraging smart and dynamic paywall engines to deliver a more personalised and profitable subscriber experience.

Speakers
Iñigo de Juan Sainz-Planillo
Iñigo de Juan Sainz-Planillo
Group Chief Subscriptions Officer, Unidad Editorial, Spain
Puneet Kukreja
Puneet Kukreja
Vice-President, Product and Reader Revenue, Times Internet, India
Darya Ushakova
Darya Ushakova
Chief Marketing Officer, The Philadelphia Inquirer, United States

3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Networking break

Take a break and step into our lounge. Engage in conversations with fellow attendees, share insights from the day's discussions, and brainstorm partnership opportunities. Our speakers and industry experts will be available for informal chats. Refreshments will be served.

4:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Chief editors panel: Leading newsrooms in a subscribers-first business

In the readers-first model of news media, newsrooms do more than just investigate and report the facts – they must understand and engage readers. This panel of editors-in-chief explores how modern newsrooms are evolving, adopting new roles like the “Conversion Editor,” using data to inform editorial decisions, and building cross-functional collaboration with commercial teams.

Speaker
Fernando Belzunce Gutiérrez
Fernando Belzunce Gutiérrez
Director, General Editorial, Vocento, Spain
Aleksandra Sobczak
Aleksandra Sobczak
Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Head of Strategy and Development, Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland
Kamran Ullah
Kamran Ullah
Executive Editor, De Telegraaf, The Netherlands
Erja Yläjärvi
Erja Yläjärvi
Senior Editor-in-Chief, Helsingin Sanomat, Finland

4:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

The Pilgrim executive: Media leadership amid a fast-paced world

How to balance short-term wins with long-term success? How to pace yourself and your teams? How to build resilience? Boris Trupčević, a former fellow media CEO and an author of “The Pilgrim Executive,” brings a unique perspective. Drawing on his walks across the Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James – 1,000 kilometers of reflection and discovery – he’ll share lessons on building lasting relationships with readers, subscribers, and yourself.

Speaker
Boris Trupčević
Boris Trupčević
Author, The Pilgrim Executive, and former CEO of 24sata, Croatia

5:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Summary and takeaways of Day 1

As we close the day and get ready for evening drinks and chats, we’ll distill key insights from the keynote lectures, case studies and panels into actionable takeaways.

5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Cocktail reception at Pakhuis de Zwijger

Unwind and take in the views over the IJ at Pakhuis de Zwijger. Digest inspiration from the day’s programming over cocktails and traditional Dutch snacks. Engage with other attendees, speakers and industry partners and consider joining your peers or inviting them to join you for dinner and enjoy the local cuisine.

Thursday, March 13

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Registration and networking

Address: Piet Heinkade 179, 1019 HC Amsterdam, Netherlands

Start your second day at the Media Subscriptions Summit with a cup of coffee, tea, and enjoy the morning snacks. This is a great opportunity to meet colleagues, connect with INMA speakers and industry partners, and set the tone for a productive day ahead.

9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Today’s theme: Winning new audiences for sustainable growth

Today’s sessions will take a case study approach to fostering growth and innovation in media subscriptions. We will break down this story into five parts today: placing the reader at the heart of your strategy, the art and science of bundling, readying your reader funnel for an adventurous 2025, contextualising subscriptions in a bigger digital business model, and what comes next with subscription-mature media companies eyeing the next growth wave.

9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

Welcome back

Our moderators Idalmy Carrera-Colucci and Robert Whitehead plan a brief recap of the previous day’s highlights and an overview of what to anticipate in the upcoming sessions. Expect a combination of sharp insight, energising humour, and surprises as we dive into another day of Media Subscriptions Summit.

9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Expanding beyond the core: Lessons from e-commerce for news media

With digital subscriptions plateauing for some at low market penetration, the challenge is clear: publishers must reach beyond core audiences and engage casual consumers. Drawing on his experience in modern retail, Kunle Campbell, author of “E-Commerce Growth Strategy,” offers a fresh perspective on how news publishers can adopt e-commerce-inspired tactics and innovative marketing channels to fuel the next wave of subscriber growth.

Speaker
Kunle Campbell
Kunle Campbell
Author, E-Commerce Growth Strategy, United Kingdom

10:00 a.m. - 10:40 a.m.

Cracking the code of reader segments: Personalising content, experience, and offers

An in-depth case study on how Norway’s leading news brand is unlocking growth by understanding and serving distinct reader segments. From identifying future audiences to tailoring personalised experiences, this session will offer practical insights into how cross-functional collaboration — spanning editorial, product, and commercial teams — has driven Aftenposten’s reader journeys.

Speaker
Johanne Barman-Jenssen
Johanne Barman-Jenssen
Brand Manager, Aftenposten, Norway
Karl Oskar Teien
Karl Oskar Teien
Director of Product and UX, Aftenposten, Norway
Eirik Hammersmark Winsnes
Eirik Hammersmark Winsnes
Commercial Director, Aftenposten, Norway

10:40 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.

Networking break

Take a moment to refuel. Grab a coffee, meet new faces, and exchange new insights before diving back into more case studies.

11:20 a.m. - 12:40 p.m.

Premium content: Meeting user needs to win the attention battles

How do you move beyond “update me” articles to create diverse, multimodal stories people are eager to pay for? Legacy brands and digital pure-players showcase how adopting a user-centric approach – combined with focus, measurement, and cross-functional teamwork – leads to better engagement and higher conversions. Discover how newsletters, podcasts, and data stories are key to forming reader habits and deepening engagement.

Speakers
Dominic Grzbielok
Dominic Grzbielok
Head of Paid Content, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany
Tim de Gier
Tim de Gier
Head of Content, Podimo, The Netherlands
Michael McLeod
Michael McLeod
Founder, The Edinburgh Minute, United Kingdom

12:40 p.m. - 12:55 p.m.

Fireside chat: Convergence of media business models

In a world where broadcasters, internet portals, and news agencies are searching for new digital audience and revenue, Reuters joined the consumer subscription market in 2024 as a competitor to some of its clients. In this fireside chat, we will discuss why the news agency made this shift, how it targets globally minded knowledge workers, and how this complements their core B2B business.

Speaker
Phil Andraos
Phil Andraos
General Manager, Digital, Reuters, United States

12:55 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Seminar preview: User needs, personalised newsletters and churn busters

Meet the moderators of Friday in-depth seminars curated together with Smartocto, Echobox and others, and hear the highlights of their case studies.

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Lunch

Pause, relax, and enjoy a well-deserved meal. Reflect on the morning’s takeaways, discuss morning highlights, and get ready for the exciting afternoon.

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Bundling and unbundling: Blending content, community, and commerce

To meet diverse audience needs across their portfolios of magazines or local news brands, media companies design flexible product lines – from promotional and “starter” subscriptions for casual or young audiences to multi-brand “super bundles” aimed at heavy users and fans. This session dives into how brands tailor offers to different segments, package content and commerce, build communities, and create multi-brand ecosystems.

Speakers
Michael Ribero
Michael Ribero
Global Chief Marketing Officer, Conde Nast, United States
Isabella Wohlwend
Isabella Wohlwend
Head of Subscriptions, Der Spiegel, Germany
Susanne Kinnaird
Susanne Kinnaird
Head of Marketing, Reader Revenue, Newsquest Media Group, United Kingdom
Moritz Klein
Moritz Klein
Director Growth and Product, The Pioneer, Germany

3:30 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.

Networking break

Take a breather before the day’s final plenary session and the summit’s wrap-up. This break is shorter, so hurry up.

3:50 p.m. - 4:20 p.m.

Forget the ceiling: Lessons from the subscription market ahead of the world

Per INMA Benchmarks, most national news brands capture 1% of households with digital subscriptions. In Estonia, however, Delfi leads with 18% penetration, while their closest competitor holds 12%. How did they achieve what feels like a distant future elsewhere? This keynote reveals how digitally savvy publishers, readers-first newsrooms, and innovative bundling turned Estonia into a global leader in subscriptions.

Speaker
Ivar Krustok
Ivar Krustok
Chief AI and Innovation Officer, Delfi Meedia, Estonia

4:20 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Summary and takeaways of day 2

This brief session will summarise essential takeaways and give you a clear direction on how to put these ideas into action. Tot ziens! (Dutch: Good bye!)

4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

From Mr. Jones to Mr. Beast: Rethinking the future audiences of news

Two eras of media, two heroes: Mr. Jones, a fearless journalist who exposed Stalin’s famine in Ukraine in 1930s, and Mr. Beast, today's most popular YouTube creator with half a billion followers. Imagine a space where TikTok meets investigative reporting, where community storytelling flourishes under journalistic rigor, and where authenticity and fact-checking go hand-in-hand. A fantasy? An imperative? A dead end? Building on media theory, history, and the latest research, this final keynote will challenge your thinking on diversifying audiences, sparking fresh ideas on how legacy brands can and cannot engage and monetise digital natives.

Speaker
Greg Piechota
Greg Piechota
Researcher-In-Residence and Readers First Initiative Lead, INMA, United Kingdom

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Closing drinks at Café de Jaren

Address: Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-20, 1012 CP Amsterdam, Netherlands

Embracing Dutch Gezelligheid. We’ll wrap up the Summit in a setting that embodies the Dutch concept of gezelligheid—a warm, welcoming atmosphere perfect for reflection and connection. As we look back on what we’ve learned and plan our next steps, this relaxed and welcoming setting with quality food is the ideal spot to connect and unwind together. Café de Jaren captures the importance of fostering trust and warmth with our audiences—a fitting end to our Summit journey.

Register


REGISTER ONLINE



Supporters


Join the INMA community at the Subscriptions Summit by connecting with people face-to-face and sponsoring.
Click here to see sponsoring options (PDF).

Questions? Contact INMA

Tom Corbett

Head of European Division
Antwerp, Belgium
Dutch, English
Tel.: +32 486 37 13 36

E-Mail me

Bonnie Nolan

Events Manager
Lake Mills, United States
English
Tel.: +1 608 206 7812

E-Mail me