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The CCO → CEO pipeline (and other succession tea)

Dec 12, 2025
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Lots of new faces as we cross the 5,000 subscriber mark (what a mighty fine group 🎉). This is the Comms Bestie Group Chat, a weekly drop of what I'd text you if we were in a group chat.

👀 Succession watch: I've got my eye on Hinge's succession plan (and not just because I'm a former Bumble girlie). The CMO replaced the iconic founder as CEO, and the CCO added in the CMO role. Do we think we'll see a CCO become the CEO of a non-comms company this decade?

🌶️ Spicy takes: I shared my top comms lessons from the session at Axios Communicators Live. This one made a lot of people mad, this one was about AI, this one is about rethinking new media, and this one was about making B2B marketing cool again.

🤖 GEO lacks hacks: Press Hook CEO Michelle Songy says there is no hack for comms' role in GEO. Just keep doing good comms work and you'll get in the AI bots. And track it. WDYT?

💰 Lulu's next move: Love her or hate her, Lulu Cheng Meservey is a comms disrupter. Her latest venture (literally) will be investing in the companies she supports with her Go Direct Manifesto.

Chat soon,
Gab Ferree
Founder & Your Comms BFF, Off the Record

PS: Last week's most-clicked was Dan Nestle's Claude Business Advisor setup guide.
PPS: If you’re in NYC or SF check out these upcoming IRL comms events.

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