The CMO Summit: How is the CMO Role Changing?

Company expectations from the Chief Marketing Officer are changing. 

For the CMO, economic pressures, digital acceleration and stakeholder scrutiny are all intensifying – meaning the role is expanding in both scope and influence. 

But this can lead to undue pressure. 

According to Boston Consulting Group’s 2026 CMO survey, 94% of Chief Marketing Officers say that CEO expectations of marketing have increased significantly over the past two years, while Deloitte has suggested that the Chief Marketing Officer role has transformed “faster than any other”. 

Speakers at the CMO Summit will be exploring just that, with panellists set to share insights on demonstrating measurable impact at board level, strengthening collaboration across the C-suite, building more resilient brands and developing the leadership capabilities that are needed in order to drive long-term, sustainable growth.

The panel will take place on October 8 at Convene 155 Bishopsgate in London, and bring together a range of senior marketing leaders. 

Secure your tickets to the CXO Summit now. 

The evolving CMO role

Many organisations are beginning to view the marketing function as being absolutely critical to drive long-term growth and financial success – with Kelsey Robinson, Senior Partner at McKinsey and Company, telling the McKinsey podcast that the changing role of the Chief Marketing Officer is helping companies perform better and see higher rates of growth. 

“For sustainable, profitable growth, the idea of the customer at the centre is vital,” she said. 

“When marketing leaders are embedded in strategic decision-making and take responsibility for a customer-centric growth strategy, companies perform better. 

“When companies involve marketing executives in strategic planning, we’ve seen a 1.4 times higher top line. 

“And when there’s a single, integrated customer-centric executive in the top team, we’ve seen 2.3 times the growth.”

Despite this, there is a lack of clarity on what responsibilities fall under the CMO – with research from McKinsey finding that just 70% of CEOs believe that marketing’s role is clearly defined and understood by the C-suite, compared to 90% the previous year.

“The onus is on the CMO to hook into the chassis of financial, strategic and business unit goals in a much more integrated way,” Kelsey said. 

This, Kelsey explains, requires an increased focus on growth and performance. 

“It’s very important for marketers to show up every morning thinking: What can I do to drive the business forward today?” she said. “I don’t think marketers or marketing managers or creative directors are often asked that question.”

The CXO Summit

The CXO Summit will be launching on October 7-8 in October at Convene 155 Bishopsgate, London, bringing together more than 500 C-suite executives across marketing, HR, finance and business strategy.

The two-day event has been designed for leaders looking for meaningful connection, insights and strategic discussion – with opportunities to network with other industry leaders and explore the challenges facing businesses around the world. 

Aditionally, it will feature four dedicated executive zones for CEOs, CFOs, CHROs and CMOs, creating space for cross-functional dialogue.

The summit will also showcase a range of talks from more than 50 industry speakers, four content zones and four executive workshops. Keynote speakers include Alex Snelling, Chief People Officer, IOM Business Unit, McDonald’s, Isabel Naidoo, Chief People Officer of Wise and Dr Tracey Leghorn, Chief Business Services Officer of SUEZ UK. 

More information on panels at the CXO Summit, including the CMO Summit, can be found here.

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