Survey Finds CMOs Face Added Duties Without Greater Authority

A survey of 541 global chief marketing officers found that many now carry expanded titles reflecting revenue and growth duties while reporting limited autonomy over decisions. Nearly 80 percent of respondents said bureaucracy interfered with their ability to make choices.

Eighty-four percent described it as at least somewhat difficult to align senior peers and stakeholders around a marketing plan. Only 44 percent said marketing operated with high autonomy.

The findings come from a report by brand consultancy Lippincott.

Michael D'Esopo, Lippincott CEO, said marketing leaders now hold more responsibility without corresponding organizational alignment. An unnamed CMO quoted in the report described how well-supported ideas can lose support when senior finance or commercial officers introduce conflicting input that others avoid challenging.

Separate research has pointed to ongoing questions about marketing's ability to show financial results. A Boathouse report from April found only 13 percent of CEOs expressed confidence in marketing's capacity to demonstrate monetary impact. Former Mastercard CMO Raja Rajamannar said trust remains a core issue inside executive suites.

AI tools and performance-focused hiring have increased visibility of short-term metrics, according to D'Esopo. Thirty-five percent of marketing chiefs now come from performance or growth backgrounds, and roughly 20 percent of senior marketing roles no longer include the word marketing in the title.

PepsiCo executive Jane Wakely said core marketing principles remain unchanged even as new data sources appear. She noted that reaching larger audiences continues to be the central goal.