CMOs, are you losing your place at the top table?

The numbers tell a troubling story. McKinsey's latest study shows CMOs are "increasingly being left out of the discussions that matter most, to the detriment of both customers and growth." The CEO-CMO disconnect has widened by 20%, with only half of CMOs involved in strategic planning. Meanwhile, executive teams have grown 50% in five years as we've added Chief Digital, Data, and Revenue Officers.

The result? When everyone owns the customer, no one does.

This fragmentation isn't just an organisational chart problem, it's costing businesses competitive advantage. Companies are literally leaving 2.3x growth on the table because customer ownership is scattered across multiple roles, each optimising for different metrics.

AI has fundamentally changed what's possible, with small, integrated teams now able to deliver what previously required multiple departments. And yet, while 69% of marketers use AI, only 34% report significant improvements. This points to a deeper issue than just technology failure. Organisations seem to be retrofitting AI onto structures designed for a bygone era.

The strategic imperative is to consolidate customer ownership under one leader, one team with one mission to maximize customer lifetime value across the entire journey—from acquisition to retention. This isn't about eliminating roles; it's about eliminating handoffs that kill momentum and dilute accountability.

It's time to get real...

• CMOs: This is your moment to reclaim strategic relevance. Position yourself as the integrated customer executive your company needs, not just the marketing function of old.
• CEOs and Boards: Audit your C-suite architecture. Is one person truly accountable for customer-centric growth? If not, you're likely leaving that 2.3x growth on the table.