The 2026 CMO Agenda: Growth now runs through the CMO

Earlier this week I joined Kevin Kerner on his podcast, Tech Marketing Rewired, to talk about what’s really changing for CMOs and what it actually takes to win in 2026.

In 2025 with the launch of my own podcast, CMOs Unscripted, I’ve had over dozens of conversations with marketing leaders across industries and regions, and one pattern I’ve seen is unmistakable: growth now runs through the CMO. Today’s CMOs are accountable for revenue impact, alignment across teams, customer experience, and increasingly, AI-driven transformation.

The CMOs who are winning treat integrated marketing as the company’s operating system, unifying brand, demand, product marketing, comms, and sales around one clear narrative that moves pipeline. AI has moved from experimentation to execution and needing to demonstrate real impact/ROI, but the winning model remains AI plus humans, not automation without judgment. And as buyers continue to self-educate across channels, CMOs are also becoming orchestrators and broadcasters, shaping credibility and trust in the channels buyers actually use and in real time.

Of course, that evolution comes with pressure. CMOs are feeling urgency around AI adoption, tighter revenue accountability, and higher stakes when it comes to influence and global nuance. Vanity metrics are out. Boards want pipeline, win rates, ASP, and proof of AI ROI from CMOs before adding headcount. One-size-fits-all messaging no longer works (though it hasn’t for a while), and choosing the wrong voices or channels wastes real money and customer relationship opportunities.

What’s interesting is how CMOs are responding. They’re not trying to eliminate anxiety. Instead they’re building operating habits to lead through it. That means pragmatic AI pilots with humans in the loop, simplified tech stacks, earlier integration with sales, product, customer success, finance, and a renewed focus on transparency, trust, and customer value over volume.

Even so, big questions remain unanswered: how to measure AI impact credibly, where to deploy agentic AI first, how to align the CMO, CRO, CFO, and board on shared metrics, and how to win the customer journey in an LLM-driven world without crossing trust lines.

We also talked about my own shift from analyst to broadcaster. I didn’t move into media to change careers. I moved because storytelling has always been my edge, and influence now flows through trusted voices, not institutions. From science to my NASA days to tech marketing, I’ve spent my career translating complexity into clarity. In my opinion, broadcasting is simply the highest-leverage way to do that today.

That’s also why I believe in the rise of the media-first CMO. This isn’t about being an influencer. It’s about earning trust, and CMOs who act like journalists simply ask better questions and find the signals amongst the noise. I’ve seen that CMOs who act like broadcasters show up consistently and build credibility over time with their ecosystem. Together, that creates personal leverage and corporate brand authority, which is gold in 2026.

Finally, I shared a few words on “putting yourself out there.” After 20 years in tech and some big career pivots, for me, the fear never fully goes away. I just decide whether it teaches me or stops me (hint: I never let it stop me). My advice: you don’t need the perfect take. You need clarity, usefulness, and the willingness to start small (yes, it’s that simple). Confidence comes from doing, not waiting. If you wait, you’ll never be ready. Take the leap!

Key Takeaways

• Growth now runs through the CMO. The job is revenue impact plus: alignment, customer experience, and AI transformation, not campaign performance.

• Integrated marketing is becoming THE business operating system. Winning CMOs unify brand, demand, product marketing, comms, and sales around one narrative that moves pipeline.

• AI is in the “prove it” era, as boards want measurable ROI. The winning model is humans plus AI, not automation without judgment.

• Trust and media presence are the new CMO edge. Because buyers self-educate and AI floods the market with noise/slop, so CMOs must build credibility like journalists/broadcasters and lead with transparency.

• Career pivots: lead with clarity, not “perfect confidence.” My advice is to start small, share one useful insight, and build momentum through action. Confidence comes after you do the thing, not before.

Companies: Snowflake, NetApp, Dynatrace, Nutanix, Crowdstrike, UiPath, Absolute Security, Cisco Captial, Palo Alto Networks

Featured Person: Lisa Martin, Kevin Kerner

Insight Categories

The CMO is the Growth Leader; Integrated Marketing Is Replacing Siloed GTM Teams; AI Accountability; Board expectations of CMOs; Trust Is the New Currency in B2B Marketing; From Campaign Operator to Growth Architect: The 2026 CMO