Embracing Measurement and Building Trust with New York Life's Amy Hu

Being under the microscope during a corporate audit doesn’t have to be a source of friction for marketing leaders. Amy Hu, CMO at New York Life, argues that a foundation of curiosity and a commitment to delivering genuine value can transform these evaluations into strategic opportunities. Rather than viewing audits as a threat, she says, top-tier CMOs lean into the process to identify blind spots and refine their programs.

"Any other way is going to enhance the doubt," she says. "And you are trying to say, Yeah, that's great. What can we do to satisfy what you need? And maybe there is a better way."

Today on Building Better CMOs, Amy and Greg talk about her career journey as the CMO and Senior Vice President of New York Life, one of the nation's largest mutual insurance companies. She discusses how to navigate the complexities of legacy financial institutions, how to turn difficult jobs into growth and wisdom, and why CMOs need to be more adaptable to business needs.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:40 The Mission of New York Life

4:10 "More Powerful, Together"

9:07 From Philosophy Major to Critical Thinker

12:32 Developing Financial Fluency

18:37 Proving Marketing Value to Skeptical CFOs

23:38 The Relationship Between Brand and Performance

29:52 Embracing an Audit and Measurement Culture