A firm favourite in every Product person’s calendar - this year’s ProductCon 2025 hosted in London’s Barbican didn’t just talk about the future, it pulled on unspoken challenges in product leadership. From AI power moves to the death of outdated frameworks, the team tackled complex realities, bold predictions, and, yes, some spicy takes.
🤖 AI: the hype is over – it’s here to stay
AI isn’t coming for your job (yet), but if you’re not leveraging it, someone who does will. The biggest takeaway? AI isn’t just a shiny toy; it’s fundamentally changing how we work.
- AI as a growth engine – Debbie McMahon (CPO, Financial Times) showed how AI is reshaping FT’s strategy, from hyper-personalised subscriptions to AI-powered journalism. AI goes beyond efficiency, it also played a role in reuniting displaced Ukrainian children – proof that tech can be a force for good.
- Productivity hacks on steroids – Dave Killeen (VP product, Pendo) unveiled a suite of AI tools that turn voice notes into project proposals, draft emails instantly, and automate workflows. If you’re drowning in admin work, AI might just be your life raft.
- AI in product development – No more endless support tickets – AI-powered agents are handling customer service, compliance, and fraud detection so teams can focus on what actually moves the needle.
🚀 The end of SAFe? Breaking free from rigid frameworks
Product leadership is moving fast, and rigid frameworks like Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)? They’re not keeping up.
- Killing SAFe, safely – Simone Paul Tamussin (CPO, Mastercard) didn’t hold back. Breaking free from SAFe led to faster releases, better team autonomy, and a noticeable reduction in time-to-market. The message? Be bold enough to challenge outdated processes.
- Product leaders as revenue drivers – Forget being a cost centre. Product leaders are now responsible for revenue, with some teams taking on up to 30% of sales responsibilities. If you’re not thinking about P&L, you’re already behind.
- Decision-making in the fast lane – Tanya Cordrey (CPO, Motorway) delivered a wake-up call: analysis paralysis is killing innovation. Perfect data doesn’t exist – make the call, pivot if needed, and keep moving.
🌎 Localising products: kill your darlings
Global expansion isn’t just about translation – it’s about ruthless prioritisation.
- Uber’s playbook for local success – Vinay Ramani (CPO, Tide | ex-Uber) shared hard-earned lessons from Uber’s expansion into China and India. The key? Adapt or die. Localisation is about understanding user behaviour, not just swapping out words.
- Cut the clutter, win the market – If a feature doesn’t work in a new region, kill it. Reducing onboarding friction increases conversion – so stop holding onto features that don’t serve your audience.
💳 The hidden revenue killer: payments
If your checkout experience isn’t seamless, you’re leaving money on the table.
- Cart abandonment is a silent killer – 40% of users bounce if their preferred payment method isn’t available. Even worse? 45% of users won’t retry after a failed payment. The fix? Give customers what they want before they walk away.
🎯 Product ops: the MVP of scaling
- Big orders, bigger problems – Deliveroo’s Sam Hancock exposed the logistical nightmares of handling large orders. The lesson? Be sketchy but ambitious – build fast, test faster, and optimise as you scale.
🔥 Key takeaways: what’s next for product leaders?
- AI isn’t an experiment – it’s the new baseline. If you’re not using AI to increase efficiency, you’re already behind.
- Product leaders are the new business leaders. Your job isn’t just building features; it’s driving revenue.
- Make the decision. Waiting for perfect data means you’ll always be too late.
- Localisation isn’t about language – it’s about behaviour. Adapt or fail.
- Friction kills revenue. Whether it’s payments, onboarding, or product ops, removing friction is the key to growth.
If ProductCon 2025 made one thing clear, it’s this: the future of product leadership is AI-driven, and unapologetically strategic. The real question is – can you lead the change?