The Emergence of CCO-Plus: Eleanor Hawkins on Comms’ Steady Climb

In this episode of PodCatalyst, we sit down with Axios reporter Eleanor Hawkins to talk about what’s really changing in the world of comms and what’s just noise.

Eleanor shares how her background in politics and corporate communications shapes the way she covers the industry, and why more companies are getting serious about who they’re trying to reach instead of talking to everyone.

She also walks through the rise of the CCO‑plus role, why comms leaders are getting more visibility (and better compensation), and what that means for teams on the ground. Plus, Eleanor offers a candid take on AI: where it’s actually helping teams and why 2026 will be about proving its value, not just experimenting with it.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.