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CMO Summit Insights

For 19 years, Spencer Stuart’s annual CMO Summit has gathered chief marketing officers and senior marketers to discuss critical issues affecting their brands, their teams and their careers.

CMO Summit 2021:
The Path from CMO to CEO

What does it take for a chief marketing officer to make the leap into the CEO role? And what career skills and experiences can prepare a CMO for the top job? At the 2021 CMO Summit, we were joined by two leaders who successfully made that transition from marketing leadership to the top corporate role: Michele Buck, board chair, president and CEO of The Hershey Company, and Mary Dillon, executive chair and former CEO of Ulta Beauty.

Read our key takeaways from the event and view highlights from previous summits below.

Recent Virtual CMO Summits

Highlights from our virtual summits amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Being a purpose-driven marketer

At Spencer Stuart’s eighth West Coast CMO Summit, former Facebook CMO Antonio Lucio reflected on his four-decade career and how brands and marketers can connect their work to their sense of purpose.
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The New CMO: ‘Showing Up’ in a Time of Crisis

Leadership in the midst of volatility was the theme of our 18th CMO Summit, which, not surprisingly, was also transformed for 2020, convening for the first time in a virtual setting, with a uniquely global panel of leading marketers meeting via video.
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Previous CMO Summits

View highlights from other CMO Summits for additional insights on navigating the challenges and opportunities facing marketing leaders.

CMOs and Teamwork: How Can High-Performing Teams Shape Success?

How can CMOs create and lead teams that will help their organizations consistently produce positive results? Three global leaders — Kellyn Smith Kenny, CMO of Hilton; Barbara Messing, former SVP & CMO of Walmart; and Diego Scotti, EVP & CMO of Verizon — shared insights on how to create more efficient, collaborative teams.
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How to Size Up Your Next Job Opportunity

Purpose, path and people emerged as key elements during the panel discussion at Spencer Stuart’s sixth annual West Coast CMO Summit, where the topic was how CMOs can determine when a new job opportunity is the right one.
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The Importance of High-Functioning Teams

At the 2018 West Coast CMO Summit, three marketing leaders shared their experiences building capable, nimble teams to navigate an ever-changing business landscape.
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CMOs and Culture: What Is the Role of Marketing in Today’s Changing World?

At the 2018 CMO Summit, three global leaders discussed culture and its growing role in the brand experience.
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Finding a Connection Between Marketers and Boards

Highlights from the 2017 Spencer Stuart CMO Summit in San Francisco, where three accomplished CMOs described their work and experience on corporate boards.
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Can You Bring Your Passion and Your Career Together?

Three CMOs — Andy Donkin, global CMO of Under Armour; Alison Lewis, global CMO of Johnson & Johnson; and Will Smith, CMO of Abercrombie & Fitch ­— told us how they’ve combined their outside interests with their careers at the 2017 NY CMO Summit.
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