The CMO of the Future

What does CMO actually stand for? If you ask AI, the answer comes quickly: «The CMO, or Chief Marketing Officer, is the top marketing executive in a company and a member of senior management. He or she is responsible for the brand’s strategic direction and ensures that marketing initiatives support the company’s goals.» But is this definition still up to date? Marketing is changing faster than ever before. Artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules, the uncertain economic situation is increasing pressure on budgets, and at the same time, values and social responsibility are coming into focus—and with that, branding is making a comeback. This brings new responsibilities and a changed role for marketing leaders. After all, today’s Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for far more than just marketing initiatives. Instead, as a strategic growth driver, they unite brand, data, and technology; integrate marketing and sales; take responsibility for business success; and, as the guardian of a strong brand, create long-term corporate value. Leading Swiss CMOs agree on this (see survey); we asked them how their roles will change—and what skills will be in demand in the future: Data and AI expertise, entrepreneurial thinking, cross-functional leadership, and the ability to effectively balance performance with long-term brand building. «In the past, the focus was primarily on brand building and creative communication. CMOs are evolving from purely communications-focused leaders into integral drivers of growth, innovation, and customer loyalty—with a strong integration of creativity, technology, and business performance,» says Chantal Landis, Managing Director of the IAA Swiss Chapter (see interview).

Game-Changer: Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence also plays a major role in this: According to a new report by Gartner, which surveyed more than 400 marketing executives in Europe and North America, 65 percent of CMOs expect that advances in AI alone will drastically change their role over the next two years. Gartner predicts that a lack of AI expertise could be among the top three reasons why CMOs at large companies are replaced by 2027—making AI expertise a prerequisite at the executive level. AI is also high on the agenda in Serviceplan’s latest CMO Barometer Switzerland; for 84 percent of Swiss CMOs, it is currently the most important marketing trend. When asked what abilities and skills a CMO must possess today to make the organization future-proof, however, the most frequently cited topics are leadership and team building (38 percent), followed by innovative thinking (33 percent), strategic vision (27 percent), and adaptability (27 percent). This means that, despite rapid technological development, human qualities remain important—or perhaps precisely because of it.

One thing is clear: AI is transforming marketing—and, as a result, the role of CMOs. Tools and technologies are taking over certain tasks and creating new responsibilities. After all, it’s not just about what AI produces, but also how CMOs handle it.

Conclusion: In the age of AI, technology is becoming a necessity—and leadership, a decisive competitive advantage.

Differentiation Factor: Branding

But how do brands stay strong when AI is producing more and more content that’s becoming increasingly interchangeable? For Chantal Landis, one thing is certain: What a brand needs today is authenticity and clarity. «It stands for values that it consistently lives by and communicates, thereby building trust and an emotional connection. It also stands out through its distinctive recognizability and genuine added value, which make it unique.» This is a task that CMOs must fulfill. After a long period of focusing on short-term results and performance-driven campaigns, branding is thus back in the marketing spotlight. For the marketing executives surveyed in the McKinsey report «State of Marketing 2026,» it ranks first among the most important marketing topics they must address—even well ahead of AI. According to the report, however, brand building is now viewed more broadly than in the past: Brands must not only be well-known but also clearly recognizable and creatively distinctive. Branding is evolving from pure communication to an interplay of brand, performance, and technology.

Conclusion: Branding is becoming a competitive advantage—and CMOs must ensure that brands are built while also delivering measurable results.

The Currency of Success: Networking & ROI

But it is precisely this expectation that is putting CMOs in a new dilemma. At a time when branding is once again taking center stage, the pressure to justify spending to the CEO and CFO is also growing. According to NIQ’s «CMO Outlook 2026,» 74 percent of CMOs today are under greater pressure to demonstrate marketing ROI than they were last year, while budgets are shrinking and every franc spent is being scrutinized. The percentage of CMOs whose CEOs and CFOs believe in the value of long-term brand investments has even dropped from 80 to 69 percent.

Brand strength is a marathon, not a sprint—and it can only be achieved if marketing, finance, and tech work together more closely than ever before. To achieve this, CMOs must speak the language of CFOs just as well as they speak the language of the brand. This is confirmed by the DACH study «License to Lead?» by Roland Berger, the University of St. Gallen, and Heidrick & Struggles. The study reveals a «Finance Credibility Gap»: While 48.5 percent of all surveyed CXOs (CEOs and various functional C-level positions not related to marketing or the CMO) rate the value of marketing as high or very high, only 20 percent of finance executives share this view. And although 49 percent of CXOs expect marketing budgets to increase, 40 percent of CFOs anticipate a decline.

Conclusion: If you want to defend budgets and gain influence, you have to base your arguments on revenue, margins, and growth.

Superpower: Purpose

But numbers alone aren’t enough. Because in addition to ROI and data, today’s consumers demand something that also contributes to a company’s value: purpose, responsibility, and a credible brand mission that goes beyond the product. Brands that clearly communicate what they stand for and how they contribute to society create a deeper emotional connection and, as a result, a loyalty that can withstand price pressure. «CMOs must not only manage marketing campaigns but also act as brand ambassadors and advocates of values who credibly position the company and help define the foundation for economic success,» says Chantal Landis. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, 64 percent of consumers choose a brand based on its stance and values, and more than half would be less likely to buy from a brand that ignores social responsibility.

According to Edelman, this also presents CMOs with a new challenge: They must decide quickly and decisively how to respond to sensitive or controversial issues—often a fine line for brands.

Conclusion: CMOs must find a way to credibly integrate purpose into products, offerings, and customer experiences—not just into communications.

The CMOs of the future are conductors of growth: They bring together brand, data, technology, and purpose into a powerful overall composition—and make marketing the strategic driving force behind the company’s success.

«CMOs are becoming integral drivers of growth, innovation, and customer loyalty—by combining creativity, technology, and business performance.»

Interview

«It also takes a bit of empathy»

m&k Ms. Landis, the role of the CMO is changing—how do you view this development from your perspective as a member of the International Advertising Association?

Chantal Landis: In the past, the CMO’s focus was primarily on brand building and creative communication. From an international perspective, we’re seeing among our members worldwide that the role of the CMO is evolving from that of a pure communications leader to an integral driver of growth, innovation, and customer loyalty—with a strong link between creativity, technology, and business performance.

What role does AI play?

CMOs are increasingly becoming data-driven business strategists who are tech-savvy and must precisely measure (and optimize) marketing investments. AI technologies make it possible to streamline marketing processes, create personalized customer experiences, and accurately measure ROI. Across national borders, we see that striking a balance between consistent brand management and the use of technology poses a challenge.

What skills will be crucial for CMOs to remain successful in the future?

This is an important question we’re asking ourselves globally as well, in order to equip our members with the necessary knowledge and relevant skills. We expect that, above all, technological expertise, data-driven decision-making, and agility will be crucial over the next five years. Successful CMOs will be those who seamlessly combine creativity, technology, and strategic thinking. But this also requires a measure of empathy, as people-oriented leadership will become a complementary factor for success.

«Despite rapid technological advances, human qualities remain important—or perhaps precisely because of them.»

Gregor Eicher, CMO of Bank Cler

AI is already influencing marketing in almost every area, and that’s not going to change. Examples include programmatic advertising, idea generation, content creation, data analysis, campaign management, and chatbots. Like almost all major technological innovations before it, AI has both positive and negative effects. Mediocrity dominates, making true creative achievement even more important. As a Swiss bank in particular, we must take a very risk-conscious approach when using AI.

To optimize our business impact, we consolidated the marketing and sales functions at Bank Cler years ago so that we could manage the marketing funnel without silos and based on the same goals, KPIs, and principles.

We work very closely with the sales team, and in the coming years we will focus on jointly creating the technical foundation for improved customer acquisition and a more personalized customer experience. Accordingly, a modern CMO must possess strong stakeholder management skills and a deep understanding of the company’s business model, its revenue drivers, and relevant external factors. This is complemented by expertise in data and AI, as well as a keen sense of the regulatory landscape. This is then rounded out by core marketing skills such as storytelling, brand management, and customer insight—all of which are significantly more data-driven and personalized than in the past. In terms of mindset, it requires openness to change, new topics, channels, and approaches.

Luca Michas, CMO of Smile Insurance

The role of the CMO is undergoing a fundamental shift: away from being merely a communications leader and toward becoming a driver of value for the entire company. Better data foundations make marketing more precise, faster, and more scalable, while at the same time the pressure is mounting to clearly trace every franc invested back to its business impact. At the same time, customers expect relevance, credibility, and consistency across all touchpoints.

In this complex landscape, the CMO becomes the conductor of creativity, technology, and commercial thinking. At the same time, in-house capabilities are becoming increasingly important: less rigid reliance on agencies, and more integrated expertise in data, tech, brand, and growth. In the future, four capabilities will be crucial: striking a balance between performance (short-term) and brand (long-term), a strong understanding of data and AI, deep ownership of revenue and profitability, and building a distinctive brand as a long-term asset.

Philip Honegger, CMO of Zweifel Chips & Snacks

The role of the CMO is shifting from that of a campaign manager to a clear driver of brand and value. AI increases the pressure to be efficient and makes output cheaper, but not automatically more effective. There is a risk of false efficiency. More content, less differentiation, and less brand-building. Especially amid rising pressure to deliver ROI, it becomes crucial to distinguish impact from mere activity.

CMOs must therefore prioritize more effectively, take a stand, and assume responsibility for long-term brand management. Marketing is not just about production; it’s about positioning, understanding context, and providing consistent leadership over the years—aspects that are virtually impossible to automate. Key skills include: sound judgment in working with AI, clear strategic leadership, the courage to prioritize, a deep understanding of the brand and customers, and the ability to target efficiency gains precisely where they create real added value.

Marco Greco, CMO of Ochsner Sport

Since my leadership discussion with Murat Yakin, one thing has become clear: You don’t win—neither on the field nor in competition—by frantically chasing after every ball. You win with a clear game plan, focus, and the courage to consistently carry it out. That is exactly our mission today. We marketing professionals must not remain merely campaign managers. We must be coaches of market-oriented corporate management, with a comprehensive strategic understanding of customers, the market, technology, and media. AI is polished, streamlined, and frighteningly efficient. It delivers the mainstream in bulk. But it doesn’t deliver the stroke of genius or the game-winning dream goal. For that, in addition to data and the game plan, what’s needed above all is «Gspüri»—that intuition for the creative idea that will make a big impact.

Whether it works depends on the customer base. Strong brands create desire, demand to be experienced, and remain the talk of the town. That’s why we must set priorities, demonstrate measurable added value, and make it clear how marketing contributes to revenue, trust, and differentiation. We’re living in what is arguably the most exciting era of marketing. It would be almost negligent to reduce it to mere efficiency. Let’s make something bigger out of it: with courage, impact, added value, and above all, fun!

Sonia Milici, Head of Marketing and Sales at Yuh

The role of the CMO is undergoing a fundamental transformation—moving away from being purely responsible for marketing toward becoming a strategic guardian of the brand, culture, and growth all at once. AI is radically changing how this is carried out: automation, data analysis, personalization—all of this is becoming faster, more precise, and more scalable. But AI does not replace creativity. It can inspire, accelerate, and open up new perspectives—but the spark of inspiration, genuine emotion, and bold concepts: those remain human. Those who confuse the two produce more—but say less. On top of that, the growing pressure for ROI tempts us toward short-term thinking. The art, however, lies in championing long-term brand-building internally—even if it doesn’t immediately show up on a dashboard. Because today, more than ever, brands are judged by their values: consumers, especially younger ones, notice immediately when a brand’s claims don’t match reality.

That’s why three skills will be crucial over the next three years: first, data literacy without losing sight of the human perspective. Second, cross-functional leadership—marketing today intersects with product, tech, and HR. And third, brand courage—the ability to take a clear stance and maintain it even under pressure.

Markus Bucheli, Head of Marketing & Market Communications at Helvetia Insurance

Only those CMOs who know what their brands stand for can actively shape the future in the age of artificial intelligence. After all, AI is rapidly transforming how customers interact with companies. It will be crucial for marketing organizations to recognize these changes in customer behavior early on and consistently integrate them into their value proposition. Those who react too late risk being displaced by more agile competitors. AI serves as a lever for both efficiency and differentiation: companies must clearly define where they want to stand out—digitally, humanly, or both. After all, it is not the brand that creates differentiation; rather, differentiation creates the brand. Bringing authentic brands to life means relying on technology where it creates value for customers and on personal connection where relationships require trust.

Oliver Schattmaier, CMO at Pfister

The role of CMOs is currently undergoing a noticeable shift—moving away from the traditional brand manager toward a role that holistically shapes growth. Artificial intelligence is a clear catalyst in this transformation: it makes marketing more data-driven, faster, and more efficient in many areas. At the same time, it’s no longer enough to simply deliver reach or creativity—the contribution to business success must be transparent and measurable. In parallel, expectations of brands are rising: stance, consistency, and credibility are no longer just «nice-to-haves,» but are central to building trust and differentiation. Communication alone is not enough—what matters is that a brand’s words are reflected in its actions.

In this context, the CMO’s role is becoming more integrative. The challenge is to reconcile different approaches: data and intuition, short-term performance and long-term brand-building, a clear stance and business objectives. As a result, marketing is moving closer to corporate strategy and assuming a stronger steering role.