09 June 2025

Leading Time into the future: CEO Jessica Sibley to share vision at FIPP World Congress 2025

As Time celebrates over a century of publishing, CEO Jessica Sibley will take the stage at the FIPP World Congress 2025 to share how the legacy brand is reimagining the future of magazine media – with AI, innovation and new revenue models at its core.

When Jessica Sibley was appointed CEO of Time in 2022, legacy media brands around the world were grappling with platform disruption, shifting revenue streams, and the early tremors of generative AI. But rather than simply protecting Time’s past, Jessica set out to build its future – and just two and a half years into her leadership, the results speak volumes.

Time’s forecast for the first half of 2025 includes 24% growth in advertising revenue, a 39% year-on-year increase in bookings, and an improvement in the cash needs of the business by 83%.

In a memo to Time staff, Jessica said, “I’m proud to share that Time is delivering across the board: advancing our mission to be a strong and commercially viable company, harnessing the best of our history while working each and every day to build the best version of TIME. We are achieving this through our high impact journalism and our ability to engage audiences globally with exclusive reporting as we embrace new ways of storytelling.”

It’s this forward-looking vision that Jessica will bring to the FIPP World Congress 2025, and as she joins media leaders from around the globe to explore what’s next for media, Time’s transformation under Jessica is a case study in how magazine brands can honour their heritage while futureproofing their business.

That future is powered, in part, by artificial intelligence – but not in the way many fear. At Time, AI is a tool for enablement, not replacement. The brand will be launching an AI-powered podcast, has embedded generative tools across departments, and authenticated its content using blockchain technology.

“We are focused on product innovation with the goal of continuing to make our journalism more accessible,” said Jessica. “AI enhances distribution, personalization, and access, while our journalism remains created by our staff and contributors, mission-aligned, and deeply trusted.”

Time’s journalism in the first half of 2025 has included exclusive interviews with global leaders in government such as President Donald Trump on his first 100 days in office, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the social media ban for people under 16, and dozens of prominent Democrats on the party’s reboot. The legacy brand has also covered major discoveries and advancements in science and technology, including interviews with Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal, the company behind the revival of the dire wolf.

Time’s audiences are no longer confined to print or digital pages. Time now reaches over 60 million people across social media, boasts nearly two million newsletter subscribers, and maintains a million-strong global print base. But critically, less than 15% of its core business revenue now depends on traditional web traffic. Instead, Time is diversifying into events, streaming content, education, and licensing.

“Time Events also reached new heights this year, with 20 events hosted globally in the first half of 2025,” said Jessica in her communication to staff. “Highlights include our biggest-ever Time100 Gala and Summit in New York; our fourth annual Time100 Impact Awards in Dubai; our first-ever combined Women of the Year Gala and Leadership Forum in Los Angeles; and our inaugural Time100 Philanthropy event in New York City.” These gatherings, she said, “continue to elevate Time’s journalism and community, expanding our reach and impact in meaningful ways.”

For Jessica, it’s about turning Time’s unique cultural capital into future-facing growth. And while not every media brand has Time’s scale or heritage, her approach offers valuable lessons for publishers everywhere: be audience-first, move fast on innovation, and build multiple paths to revenue.

As the industry gathers in Madrid to imagine the next 100 years, Jessica’s message is simple: the future isn’t something to fear. It’s something to build. In her words: “I’m excited about everything we’ve accomplished and even more energised about what’s to come. The bottom line: We’re building the best version of Time.”

The FIPP World Media Congress takes place in Madrid, Spain, from 21-23 October 2025.

This event will bring together media professionals from across the globe for three days of insightful discussions, keynote presentations, workshops, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Whether you’re a seasoned industry leader or a rising innovator, the FIPP Congress promises to be an unforgettable gathering that will shape the future of media.

See the agenda here, the list of speakers here and secure your place here.

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