How CMOs Can Elevate Their Role

“In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.“ This statement, attributed to Yogi Berra—one of the 20th century’s greatest thinkers—feels especially relevant when discussing the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role today. In theory, the head of marketing reports directly to the CEO and drives corporate strategy. In practice, this is not always the case. But there is a solution, which I explore from the practical position of someone who lives in this world.

Insights from the Future 50: What Top Companies Teach Us about CMOs

To start, let’s look at some data. In December, Fortune published its annual “Future 50” list, identifying companies poised for growth and success. By labeling the list as companies likely to “adapt, thrive, and grow,” it seems reasonable to begin the search for a strong marketing function with these organizations. While the article is paywalled, Fortune partnered with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to evaluate factors like talent and strategy. This partnership aims to identify potential “winners” among aspiring Fortune 500 entrants.

While this dataset may not be statistically significant, the results are “directionally correct and managerially significant,” to use a phrase that a seasoned management consultant once used with me. I reviewed company websites, LinkedIn profiles, and news articles to understand how these organizations approach marketing leadership. One clear pattern emerged: there is no standard organizational structure, even among these high-performing companies. Long-term CMO influence, however, is by no means ubiquitous.

Behind the Data: What the Numbers Say About Marketing Leadership

The CMO position has been the subject of extensive discussion over the past year. I participate in two networking groups where this subject is particularly relevant: Club CMO and CMO Huddles. We frequently discuss topics such as the function’s title, the reporting structure, and which aspects of the role are of the greatest importance.

Consider these additional points from a variety of sources:

• A January 2024 Fortune article noted that 29% of Fortune 500 companies do not have a “marketing chief.”
• Heidrick & Struggles reported in September 2024 that only ~5% of new board seats went to directors with CMO experience between 2015 and 2023.
• Spencer Stuart estimated in June 2024 that 10% of Fortune 250 CEOs had some marketing experience, likely in junior roles before transitioning into leadership roles in other functions.

This data points to a sobering conclusion: marketing, particularly as a standalone function, is often seen as a support role rather than a strategic driver at the highest levels of corporate leadership.

Redefining Your Role: How Statistics Don’t Define Your Potential

Reflecting on this reality, I’m reminded of a lesson from my time at the United States Military Academy. During a campus visit before attending, a junior cadet told me, “Around here, you’ll just be one of the crowd.” While this struck me as a challenge, it also motivated me. I wasn’t defined by statistics then, and neither are you now. When reading those statistics about companies without CMOs or the percentages of board members coming from marketing, I argue that you should approach them the same way I did at West Point.

While I did not finish first in my class, I was reasonably successful during my four years there. That lesson has stayed with me: I am not a statistic, and neither are you. In a merit-based workplace, you are responsible for your success, just as I am responsible for mine. As a leader, one of my greatest joys is seeing my team members succeed. As a husband and father, I seek success with my family as well. I care about more than just my own achievements, as you should. However, the percentages of board members from the CMO ranks or companies without CMOs are not relevant to you meeting your goals—or me meeting mine.

Speaking of goals, nothing says that being on a board of directors or becoming CEO must be on your list of goals. Becoming a CMO who reports to a CEO is not a requirement for success either. I am certain that those companies without a CMO still have marketing directors or VPs responsible for brand reputation and demand generation. Many companies have a CMO reporting to a Chief Revenue Officer. That often doesn’t matter. Most of these professionals are likely living successful careers, earning a great living, and leading fulfilling lives outside the workplace. Of course, there are certainly folks who are looking to elevate their role with greater impact and influence.

CMO+: Expanding Your Influence Beyond Traditional Marketing

One of the most exciting opportunities for marketers today is expanding their role into areas of strategic importance. I began this early in my career, going beyond the job description. More specifically, I started my career in Corporate America as a Product Marketing Engineer and was promoted to the level of Director over a dozen years or so. When the company partnered with an external consultant on a Value-Based Pricing project, I jumped at the opportunity to make this my PLUS.

“Tap into your CMO superpower—your ‘plus’—and discover how it can dramatically expand your impact far beyond the conventional scope of marketing.” [Drew Neisser]

Long before reaching CMO, I saw the value of exactly what Drew is describing. However, it is arguably more important at the level of CMO. Returning to my analysis of the Future 50 marketing organizations: Five CMOs (10%) had formalized additional functions in their titles. These executives added a “superpower” or “plus” of the following:

• Partnerships
• Strategy
• Business Operations
• Growth (and President)
• Consumer Experience

In some of these functions, such as “Strategy,” the CMO may provide additional value to their corporation in an individual contributor capacity. For others, such as “Business Operations,” the CMO might have a team of a dozen people to operationalize this second function. Either way, those five executives are exercising their CMO+ within their organizations.

The good news is that this PLUS does not have to rise to the level of formalization. At Tigo Energy, I’ve taken on additional roles over my first four years as CMO: demand forecasting and pricing. These were situations where the company had a need and I had the skillset and experience to fill that need. While this was done without any formal title change, I recently added an entire function in the form of our technical service and support team. This logically has led to an expansion of my title to Chief Marketing & Customer Experience Officer.

Actionable Takeaways: Maximizing Your Career Potential as a CMO

Marketing may often be seen as a support function, but that doesn’t diminish its potential. Whether as an individual contributor, director, or CMO, you can maximize your career by:

• Redefining success—chart your unique path to achievement.
• Ignoring statistics—focus on your potential instead.
• Expanding your impact—find your PLUS and add value.

Yogi Berra was not just a 20th-century philosopher. He was a Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees from 1946-1963. With his 10 championships, he was the winningest Major League Baseball player of all time. He reached the pinnacle of his profession by going beyond theory. He redefined success, ignored statistics, and expanded his impact.

In practice, you can do the same in the profession of marketing. We can all do so much more, dramatically expanding our impact beyond its conventional scope.

Written by JD Dillon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: JD Dillon is a transformative marketing leader with a proven track record of driving profitable top-line growth since 2005. As a CMO with a superpower for industry disruption, he has orchestrated successful corporate turnarounds and led companies through IPOs in the renewable energy sector.

His approach combines simple yet powerful strategies with broad stakeholder communication and precise operational execution. JD’s leadership philosophy extends beyond business metrics – recognized as both a “great motivator” and one of the “Men Who Open Doors,” he believes in the power of human connection in achieving organizational success.

His impact spans various industries and corporate lifecycles, where he consistently delivers results by balancing strategic vision with genuine, people-first leadership.