Marketing has always struggled to show its value. Perhaps this explains why there are still a small number of CMOs in the boardroom. Only 21% had a marketing Special leads background among FTSE 100 CEOs. The annual Robert Half FTSE 100 CEO Tracker showed that majority of CEOs (43%) have a background in finance. That big discrepancy suggests a gap in value placed Special leads on the disciplines. Marketing as a Growth Driver However, things are changing. Raconteur cited executive search firm Heidrick &
Struggles, revealing the proportion of European CEOs with a Special leads marketing background to have grown from 15% to 21% between 2011 and 2015. It also pointed out current Tesco CEO Dave Lewis being responsible for Unilever’s Dove Real Beauty campaign. Another example was Procter & Gamble’s former UK marketing chief Roisin Donnelly joining the board of Special leads Just Eat. Not only that, Deloitte found that 27% of surveyed CMOs said Special leads their role is primarily responsible for growth strategies and revenue generation, above the
CEO (21%). The report also revealed that for 68% of Special leads CMOs, being the growth driver is the top or one of the highest expectations by senior management and the board from them. A shifting focus to a more customer-centric world makes this true: Consumers demanding personalized and on-demand products and services, and brand recall becoming more Special leads critical than ever as customer attention span decreases. And who’s on the ground, interacting with customers? CMOs and their teams.