What working in finance, insurance, PR taught me about trust – Olakanmi

In boardrooms across finance, insurance and public relations, the conversation rarely starts with products, premiums or press releases. It starts with one question: can you be believed?

Oladotun Olakanmi, who has worked across all three industries, argues the answer determines more than reputation.

It determines capital allocation, policy uptake and market credibility. In finance, trust directs where money goes.

In insurance, it underwrites promises that may not be tested for years. In PR, it shapes perception before a single meeting takes place.

The lesson from moving between balance sheets, risk pools and newsrooms is simple. “trust is not built through claims. It is built through consistency,” Olakanmi said.

In markets facing volatility, regulatory scrutiny and information overload, that consistency has become the scarcest asset — and the one businesses can least afford to lose, he added.

According to him, People pay attention to what organisations say, but they pay even closer attention to whether actions align with those statements. This principle applies to founders, businesses, institutions, and even personal brands.

He noted that many organisations focus heavily on visibility while underestimating the importance of credibility. Yet credibility is often the factor that determines whether visibility converts into opportunity.

The digital environment has made this reality even more apparent, he added.

“Today, trust is influenced by search results, online mentions, media coverage, professional profiles, customer experiences, and countless other signals.”

“People no longer evaluate brands based on a single interaction. They evaluate them based on an ecosystem of information.” This is one of the reasons I believe Digital PR is becoming increasingly important, he explained.

At its core, public relations is not about publicity. It is about shaping understanding, reinforcing credibility, and creating trust before visibility scales.

According to him, technology will continue to evolve. Platforms will change. Consumer behavior will shift. But trust will remain one of the most valuable assets any organisation can build. “In every industry I have worked in, that lesson has remained remarkably consistent.”

“And this led me to found The Kulture Digital, a global perception-first PR firm, helping founders, executives, high-networth individuals, and organisations deliberately shape how they are trusted, understood, and remembered.”