How did 2024 go for B2B marketers? With extended buying cycles, tightened budgets, and heightened sales expectations, it had its share of challenges.
Despite these obstacles, top marketing executives demonstrated remarkable adaptability and innovation, finding creative ways to deliver results with constrained resources.
We’re proud to present these exceptional leaders in our latest eBook, “The 101 Top B2B Marketing Influencers of 2024,” which showcases their achievements and expertise. Below, find inspiration in the top learnings from the year.
A New Playbook for Modern Marketing
The marketing leaders featured in this year’s list have effectively written a new playbook for B2B marketing success. They’ve shown that modern marketing leadership requires:
- Balancing strategic vision with tactical execution
- Building and nurturing high-performance teams
- Embracing technological innovation while maintaining human connections
- Creating cultures that celebrate experimentation and learning
- Engaging in genuine peer-to-peer collaboration
Mastering the Art of More with Less
The story of 2024’s marketing leadership isn’t just about survival… It’s about transformation. As buying cycles lengthened and budgets tightened, these exceptional CMOs demonstrated that true leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about fostering environments where innovation can flourish.
What sets these marketers apart? They’ve mastered the delicate balance of strategic delegation and hands-on leadership. While juggling demands from demand generation to international expansion, they’ve built high-performing teams through trust, mentorship, and a willingness to share both successes and setbacks.
Embracing the AI Revolution
This year’s honorees stood out for their pioneering approach to emerging technologies, particularly with generative AI. Rather than viewing AI as a threat, they leveraged it as a force multiplier—streamlining content creation, supercharging personalization, and reimagining sales enablement. Their forward-thinking approach turned potential disruption into competitive advantage.
The Power of Community
Perhaps most remarkably, these leaders understand that innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. What truly sets this year’s honorees apart is their commitment to collaborative growth and peer-to-peer learning. Huddles has fostered a powerful network of CMOs that transcends competition, fostering environments where shared challenges lead to collective solutions.
“Sometimes you need to listen to what other people are doing so that you can rethink in a fresh way what you’re doing in your own organization.” —Julie Kaplan, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Revenue Operations, CareMetx, LLC
These leaders regularly gather in intimate groups of 8-12, creating safe spaces for vulnerable discussions about their most pressing challenges. Many describe CMO Huddles as equal parts executive workshop and therapy session—a rare space where marketing leaders can let their guard down, share their uncertainties, and find both strategic guidance and emotional support from peers who truly understand their journey. Whether through structured roundtables or impromptu Slack conversations, they’ve built a support system that amplifies their individual strengths.
This spirit of collaboration has proven especially crucial in navigating 2024’s unique challenges. From implementing AI solutions to managing remote teams, these leaders have turned to each other for practical advice and emotional support.
“[CMO Huddles] provides great therapy. You can talk about the gory details and things that you can’t share with your team or your boss. It’s nice to have that.” —Suzanne Reed, Chief Marketing Officer, LBMC
Looking Ahead
As we celebrate these 101 remarkable marketing leaders, we’re not just acknowledging past achievements—we’re getting a glimpse of the future of B2B marketing. Their stories offer insight into the evolving marketing landscape for 2025 and beyond. Join us in celebrating these exceptional leaders who prove that with the right blend of innovation, resilience, and community, there’s no challenge too great to overcome.