The future of CMOs: an honest take

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role has always been one of the toughest in the C-suite.

It's no surprise that reports consistently show CMOs have the shortest tenure of any executive position.

Why? A few key reasons include:

• Marketing takes time to compound, but companies want instant results.
• Everyone has an opinion, so CMOs spend more time defending than doing.
• The learning never stops: positioning, demand generation, brand, retention, messaging. It's endless.

I have spent most of my career in and around marketing, but I never saw myself as just a marketer. I have taken on product leadership roles, outbound sales, GTM strategy, and even organizational design.

Yet the biggest lesson I ever learned about marketing did not come from my professional experience. It came from my Dad.

A Lesson in Marketing: From My Dad

My dad is an entrepreneur.

He was also politically active.

And he’s simply a phenomenal connector.

Growing up, whenever I needed to see a doctor, find a company for research, or get an introduction to a decision-maker—he always had a way. I never understood how, but he made it happen.

As I got older, I’d join him on long drives to trade fairs, mostly to Madrid—four hours each way.

The number of calls he handled in the car was insane. Not sales calls. Just people needing something—a business favor, advice on a tricky situation, introductions for their kids.

He connected the dots for people, always helping where he could.

One day, I told him how impressive it was that he knew so many people.

He corrected me immediately:

"It’s not about who I know. It’s about who knows me—and what they know me for."

In hindsight, that simple shift in perspective changed how I viewed marketing forever.

It took me almost 40 years (yap, I'm getting old) to fully connect the dots between my dad’s approach and what makes great marketing—and great business.

One of my dad's businesses is a printing lab company. A small company with less than 15 employees, most of whom have been there for decades. All of them working for an industry soem might call a dying one.

Yet, he’s kept it alive for 30+ years. He survived the 2008 financial crisis. He adapted when major customers left. And in 2024, he had one of his most profitable years ever.

Not because he’s the biggest.

Not because he has the lowest prices.

But because when people need high-quality printing and trust the job will be done right, they think of him first.

That’s marketing at its core.

And without realizing it, he was doing something that every great CMO should be doing—building trust, reputation, and long-term relationships.

From Awareness to Revenue: A CMO’s Real Job

Fast forward to today, and this mindset is still how I approach marketing and GTM strategy.

Every time I step into a new company, or take on a new customer, I ask the same questions:

1?? Who knows us, and what for?

2?? If they don’t, how do we make sure they do?

3?? And once they do, how do we ensure they understand the value we bring?

Great CMOs, the ones who outlast the average tenure, connect these dots effectively.

It’s why I’ve never led Marketing through an "MQL-viewpoint." Ever.

Instead, I’ve always guided Marketing through pipeline and revenue—deeply understanding who pays for our value, why, and how they got to us.

Then scaling those channels and distribution mechanisms effectively.

That has been my way.

The CMO Bottleneck: Why CEOs and Boards Are Frustrated

Over the past two and a half years as a fractional growth executive, I have been called into companies where the CMO was just fired or on their way out.

The story repeats itself:

• The CEO or board expected revenue impact but got “influenced pipeline” reports with inflated numbers.
• Marketing was stuck in outdated playbooks: gated whitepapers, lead-gen forms, and an MQL obsession.
• The CMO operated in a silo, rarely collaborating with sales or customer success.
• A few of my customers were at €10M+ ARR, which means marketing needed to shift beyond just acquisition and build proper loops for upsell, cross-sell, and virality.
• Many CMOs did not look at data or talk to customers.

And the harsh reality?

? Many CMOs fear trying new approaches.

? They keep the same tactics running, even when performance declines.

? They focus on what’s measurable, not what’s effective.

Meanwhile, the world moves fast.

The companies I worked with that saw the most success? They treated marketing as a growth driver, not just a support function.

Most of the time, I come in to:

• Shift marketing from lead-generation machines to revenue-focused GTM teams.
• Break silos between marketing, sales, and CS to drive retention and expansion.
• Implement scalable marketing motions that fuel long-term growth rather than quick wins.

The Future of CMOs: More Than Marketers, They’re Growth Architects

So, where does the CMO role go next?

To answer that, let’s look at what’s changing:

• Marketing, Sales & CS are merging into a unified GTM motion.
• CMOs are increasingly responsible for thinking revenue, not just pipeline.
• The best CMOs don’t just “do Marketing”—they shape GTM strategy from awareness to adoption and expansion.

In other words, CMOs are becoming Growth Architects.

The ones who will thrive in the next decade will have four key traits:

? Interdisciplinary Thinkers: Work across departments, blending marketing, sales, and customer success into one cohesive revenue function.

? Data-Driven Decision Makers – Not just brand builders, but leaders who deeply understand how every marketing euro contributes to revenue and retention.

? Customer-Centric Operators – They won’t just track marketing metrics; they’ll track the entire customer lifecycle and ensure marketing influences every stage.

? Strategic Storytellers – They won’t just be performance marketers, but brand stewards who drive market perception, positioning, and long-term demand.

They will also need to embrace and master new marketing playbooks. There're plenty out there, but a few I come across often and that I'm also getting into:

• Targeted, personalized content for ICPs: Not broad messaging, but precision storytelling for high-value buyers.
• Value or entertainment-driven content: If it is not insightful or engaging, it will not break through.
• Video-first marketing: Buyers consume video more than text, yet many CMOs still prioritize written content.
• Outbound as part of strategy: CMOs should integrate automated signals and outbound plays into the marketing function.
• Owning GTM strategy with data: CMOs must leverage data for hyper-relevant messaging and automate customer insights.

And beyond all this, they will need to master AI.

AI-powered tools will scale content, personalize campaigns, and automate low-value tasks while keeping the human touch that makes brands memorable.

Why This Matters

Companies that understand this shift will see their CMOs drive measurable business impact.

Those that don’t will keep recycling CMOs every 18 months.

The CMOs who thrive in the coming years will not just “do marketing.”

They will be Growth Architects.

They will break silos, think revenue-first, and truly understand what drives the business.

That is the future of the role.

And for those who master it?

They might not just outlast the average tenure. They might become the most valuable executive in the room.

I’m Hugo Pereira, co-founder of Ritmoo and fractional growth operator. I’ve led businesses from €1M to €100M+ while building purpose-driven, resilient teams.

Follow me for insights on growth, leadership, and teamwork. My book, Teamwork Transformed, launches early 2025.