Episode 2 - Designing culture and connection inside a challenger brand.

In this second episode of Message Makers, host Owen sits down with Iain Lumsden, Head of Events, Activations and Social Impact at ING Australia, to explore culture, connection and the evolving role of comms in a digital-first, global organisation. Iain has spent more than 20 years in communications, starting in financial services before moving into telecoms, where he and Owen worked together at O2. Internal communications has always been central to his career, and for the past decade he's brought that expertise to ING Australia, one of the country's original online-only banks. As a challenger brand with no physical branches, ING prides itself on not "feeling like a bank". Ian describes a playful, slightly irreverent culture - or "wonky", as they call it - that shapes everything from advertising to internal tone of voice, while still balancing professionalism. That strong culture, combined with long tenure and close relationships, helps comms land more effectively. The conversation explores how ING connects local teams to its global strategy, with leaders from Amsterdam visiting regularly to build understanding and celebrate success. Iain also reflects on cultural differences between working in the UK and Australia, highlighting the remarkable diversity of ING's workforce, with more than 50 languages spoken. They discuss ING's unwavering commitment to inclusion, and how AI tools like Copilot can support, but never replace, human creativity and collaboration in communications.