Nominated for CMO of the Year 2026: Antonia Lepore Combines Technology with Team Spirit
The marketing world is debating AI, algorithms, and the future of visibility. Antonia Lepore is already thinking one step ahead. The CMO of AXA Switzerland is exploring how brands can remain relevant even in the age of large language models. At the same time, she is focusing on what no technology can replace: people, culture, and strong teams. This is reflected in her nomination as a finalist for «CMO of the Year 2026.».
While many companies are still debating the impact of artificial intelligence, Antonia Lepore is already laying out the strategic direction for the coming years.
The future starts with your next search query
She is particularly interested in how people’s search and information-seeking behaviors are changing and what role brands will play in the future in a world increasingly shaped by AI systems.
This forward-looking approach has shaped her work for years. Since 2019, she has been in charge of marketing at AXA Switzerland and has been consistently driving the integration of customer experience, brand communication, and digital services. The goal is brand management that reaches people where they seek guidance—today and tomorrow.
«Supporting my team and helping each and every one of them shine—that, to me, is the essence of good teamwork.»
The Brand as a Promise Backed by Evidence
For Lepore, a brand is much more than just communication. She sees the brand promise «Know You Can» as an active mission to encourage people and support them in achieving their goals. What matters most, she says, is not what a brand claims, but what it proves.
That is precisely why AXA invested in Swiss women’s soccer early on. Under Lepore’s leadership, the initiative centered on the AXA Women’s Super League and the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 a key component of its brand strategy. AXA used the European Championship to consistently position itself as a modern and socially responsible brand.
When Flagship Projects Meet Transformation
The past twelve months have been quite a challenge for Lepore and her team. With AXA Switzerland’s 150th anniversary and their involvement with the Women’s EURO, two major projects were carried out simultaneously. At the same time, the agile transformation of the marketing department continued behind the scenes.
What is particularly noteworthy is the breadth of their work. It ranges from emotional storytelling and sponsorship to organizational transformation and preparing for a marketing landscape in which AI, data, and new forms of communication are becoming increasingly important. This ability to combine operational excellence with long-term strategic planning is one of the qualities that define modern marketing leadership today.
Technology changes everything—except people
When asked about her most important principle, Antonia Lepore’s answer is remarkably clear: Transformation doesn’t start with technology, but with people. New tools and new opportunities are important, she says. What’s crucial, however, is to bring people along on the journey, build trust, and foster a culture in which learning and change become second nature.
«Transformation doesn't start with technology—it starts with people.»
Perhaps it is precisely this attitude that explains why Lepore repeatedly speaks of her team. Whether it’s the nomination, major projects, or her personal successes—for her, the focus isn’t on individual people, but on the synergy of diverse talents. For her, the magic of marketing happens when the brand, people, and communication mesh perfectly, creating genuine added value for customers.
It is precisely this combination of forward thinking, cultural leadership, and consistent customer focus that makes Antonia Lepore one of the six finalists for the «CMO of the Year 2026» award. At a time when marketing leaders must simultaneously be technologists, strategists, cultural ambassadors, and leaders, she exemplifies a new generation of CMOs.
