The article discusses the trend of CMOs becoming CEOs, noting that it has occurred more in consumer product companies where CMOs have access to large amounts of customer data and resources to drive growth. While still rare, some CMOs have transitioned to CEO due to strong track records of delivering sales growth through marketing initiatives. However, the article argues that CMOs in B2B, manufacturing, and other industries are not there yet due to thinner margins, less robust marketing departments, and different competitive landscapes. It provides five recommendations for CMOs to position themselves for the CEO role, such as understanding and deploying customer data, integrating marketing and other functions, and ensuring marketing objectives drive company objectives.

1. Why CMOs Are Becoming CEOs
by
Tom McGee
Vice President and General Manager – Executive Search Division
www.lucasgroup.com
EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS - BLOG
A recent CMO.com column by Thomas Yang, Why More Marketers Are Taking the CEO Reins is a thoughtful piece about what may
be a new trend in corporate America. It offers solid insight and should open the eyes of corporate boards everywhere.
But I don’t see the move from CMO to CEO as a trend: not yet. Those few who’ve made this rare transition are distinctive. But look
closelyat the companies who’ve moved CMO to CEO. Audi, Gilte Group, and Ruby Tuesday are all consumerproduct companies.
CMOs in this industry are ahead of the game, rapidly diving into the Big Data pool and truly understanding that Marketing is about
creating and sustaining relationships—relationships manifested in sales. They have resources and data—lots of it—and deploy it to
create insight into consumers to drive financialsuccess.
I’m currently working with a CMO in the consumerproducts industry who is destined for the top office.
This person has:
 Led marketing for a multi-billiondollar name brand company with a $300M marketing budget and 300-person staff
 Implemented the company’sfirst CRM system with a 5-15% ROI
 Consistentlydelivered 6% sales growth for three years
 Created new multiculturalmarketing programs that generated 8% revenue growth among Hispanicconsumers.
 Mentored multiple members of senior leadership includingthe current CEO
An impressive track record by any measure. But this person’s peers in B2B, Manufacturing, and other industries aren’t there yet.
Generally, their margins are thin; marketing departments less robust; and the competition is either far more concentrated or highly
price sensitive.
How can these CMOs seize this newfound trend?
I have five key recommendationsfor making the jump from CMO to CEO:
 Understand, embrace, and deploy your data
 Blend insightfultechnology with management insight
 Integrate to reduce costs and strengthen your competitivehand
 Ensure that Marketing objectivesclearly drive company objectiveswith measurable impact
 Move beyond brand management to customer engagement
Follow these five objectivesand you may soon be decorating a new office in the C-Suite.
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