The Stage | Victoria Sugg, CEO, Emperor

Why It Matters

Effective, data‑driven storytelling that aligns sustainability with financial performance is becoming essential for attracting diverse capital in 2026, and agencies like Emperor enable firms to meet that demand.

Key Takeaways

• Companies juggle US, UK, EU investors for capital growth
• Balancing retail vs institutional investors drives nuanced communication strategies
• Sustainability narratives shift to “green‑hushing” despite ongoing commitments
• Boards demand data‑backed, enthusiastic, consistent growth stories for shareholders
• Emperor helps firms craft multi‑audience, passion‑driven corporate reports

Summary

Victoria Sugg, CEO of Emperor, outlines the capital‑markets agenda for 2026, emphasizing how firms must navigate divergent investor expectations across the US, UK and Europe while balancing retail and institutional demand.

She highlights three competing priorities: articulating a differentiated growth narrative, integrating sustainability messaging with financial performance, and managing the emerging trend of “green‑hushing,” where companies keep ESG commitments private to suit specific audiences.

Sugg notes that boards and fund managers repeatedly stress the need for a consistent, data‑backed story delivered with enthusiasm. Recent research cited in the talk confirms that firms are not abandoning sustainability; they are simply calibrating disclosure to avoid mis‑alignment with target investors.

The implication is clear: companies must adopt sophisticated, multi‑stakeholder communication strategies. Emperor positions itself as a partner that translates complex ESG and financial data into compelling, audience‑specific reports, helping clients win investor confidence and sustain growth.

Original Description

In this episode of The Stage, Victoria Sugg, CEO of Emperor, explores what’s shaping the capital markets agenda for 2026.

With boards and fund managers focused on consistent, data backed storytelling, Victoria explains why ‘green hushing’ doesn’t signal retreat, but smarter communication.

About 'The Stage'

The Stage, a new video series that celebrates the people behind the markets. Produced by the London Stock Exchange, each episode will feature an industry thought leader sharing insights, milestones, and stories that shaped their business journey. Whether you're a CEO, founder, or financial industry voice, The Stage is your platform to connect with a global audience of investors, issuers, and market participants.

Ready to take centre stage? Register your interest to feature: https://lseg.group/4pLOFUx

LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) is a diversified international markets infrastructure business —earning our clients’ trust for over 300 years. That legacy of customer-focused excellence ensures that you can rely on our expertise in capital formation, intellectual property and risk and balance sheet management. As global leaders in financial indexing, benchmarking and analytic services, we offer unrivalled access to international capital markets. Our high-performance technology solutions enable companies worldwide to access funds for growth and development. And with our Data & Analytics, Capital Markets and Post Trade divisions, we provide a comprehensive, integrated suite of trusted financial market infrastructure services that help our customers pursue—and achieve—their ambitions. That’s how we make a difference— ensuring people can meet their potential—worldwide.

Follow us on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/london-stock-exchange-group) and Twitter (@LSEGplc).