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From CMO to CEO: The Route to the Top

Insights and advice from CEOs who have made the transition
June 2015

A few years ago, we analysed the steps that a chief marketing officer would need to follow in order to rise to the role of a CEO. It was the first such road map to leadership for CMOs and proved to be invaluable for marketers with aspirations in management.

For this updated edition we have spoken to CEOs across Europe with a marketing background about the skills necessary to succeed in general management. The guidelines offered in this report should prove valuable for anyone hoping to build on their experience running a marketing function.

As Grant Duncan says in his video summary of the report, marketing now plays a vital role in the strategic and commercial life of the organisation and more and more CMOs are showing themselves to be viable candidates for leadership roles.