{"id":7470,"date":"2017-07-25T11:21:30","date_gmt":"2017-07-25T11:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/?p=7470"},"modified":"2025-08-22T13:22:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T11:22:46","slug":"become-chief-marketing-officer-cmo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/become-chief-marketing-officer-cmo\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Become A Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Become a CMO and you\u2019ve reached the pinnacle of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-marketing-online-short-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">marketing career<\/a>, reporting to and working alongside the CEO of your business.<\/p>\n\n\n<div>\n            <!-- Responsive picture tag -->\n        <picture class=\"picture-block\">\n            <source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_banner_desktop.png\" >\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Mobile_banner.png\" alt=\"CMO_Mobile_banner\">\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>A CMO\u2019s primary responsibility is to manage the return on investment (ROI) of their company\u2019s marketing efforts.<\/strong> This involves planning, developing and overseeing the execution of all marketing initiatives, and leading and aligning a number of teams:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-brand-management-online-short-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brand management<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marketing communications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-sales-management-online-short-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sales management<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/northwestern-university-product-marketing-research-consumer-behavior-and-analytics-online-short-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Market research and marketing training<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Product development<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Distribution channel management<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pricing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customer service<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>The role of the CMO has changed dramatically in recent years, and this new breed of CMO is being shortlisted for the top spot. I would argue that the trend is still in its early stage, but as the CMO continues to own the customer across all channels &#8211; as well as the data that drives the business &#8211; the CMO quickly becomes a logical person to own the company&#8217;s growth agenda in the CEO role<\/p><cite>DAVID SHRANK<br>DELOITTE CONSULTING<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As business strategy and success rely a great deal on effective marketing, a CMO is an invaluable member of any organisation. But the role is undergoing vast and continual transformation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8216;Digitally enabled tools and processes have altered what and how a business sells, flipped the tables on the typical customer relationship, introduced a glut of new channels and competitors.\u2019<sup>1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To get ahead of the competition,<strong>&nbsp;&#8216;CMOs must deliver above-market growth&#8217;<\/strong><sup>2<\/sup> by facilitating exemplary customer experience and organisational alignment, making the CMO role more dynamic and exciting than ever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-key-responsibilities-of-a-cmo\"><strong>What are the key responsibilities of a CMO?<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Marketing training, leadership and organisational alignment are only three of the many responsibilities undertaken by today\u2019s multi-talented CMOs. Other primary responsibilities include focus in these three key areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>\n<h5><strong>Strategic planning<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/td><td>\n<ul>\n<li>Use SWOT analysis theory to define microeconomic factors that will affect your business management techniques and success<\/li>\n<li>Preparing an overall marketing strategy that incorporates growth and sales strategies. Developing and informing overall business strategy<\/li>\n<li>Develop market segmentation, competitive analysis, market intelligence, prospecting, lead generation and pricing strategies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-strategic-business-management-online-short-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Want these skills<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\n<h5><strong>Data analysis&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/td><td>\n<ul>\n<li>Predicting business trends and customer behaviour<\/li>\n<li>Presenting technical reports based on the collection, analysis and interpretation of data<\/li>\n<li>Contributing to important business decisions by constructing significant research questions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-data-analysis-online-short-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Want these skills<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\n<h5><strong>Understanding the company\u2019s product<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/td><td>\n<ul>\n<li>Oversee the development of new products and create a product roadmap<\/li>\n<li>Lead, organise, motivate and measure the performance of a sales team<\/li>\n<li>Accurately forecast future sales and budget accordingly to ensure sales force effectiveness<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-sales-management-online-short-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Want these skills<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Related content:&nbsp;<strong>Why Data Analysis Is The Most Lucrative Skill You Can Have<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/data-analysis-lucrative-skill-right-now\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"42\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Data-Analyst_PinkButton_Career_Path.png\" alt=\"Data-Analyst_PinkButton_Career_Path\" class=\"wp-image-6958\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-nbsp\">&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-career-path-for-a-cmo\"><strong>What is the career path for a CMO?<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Until recently, CMO was considered the highest achievable point on the career path of a marketer. CMOs weren\u2019t seen as CEO material because they had never been directly accountable for the bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, in this age of digital business, the customer drives everything. And because CMOs are closest to the customer, they\u2019re closer to business revenue and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>53% of business executives polled by the Global Marketing Center said that their current CMO could one day become CEO.<sup>3<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n<div>\n            <!-- Responsive picture tag -->\n        <picture class=\"picture-block\">\n            <source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_CEO_desktop.jpg\" >\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_CEO_mobile.jpg\" alt=\"CMO_CEO_mobile\">\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n<p>Many CMOs consider their role a final destination in its own right, but for others, making the transition to CEO requires:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Interaction with different departments and business units to acquire a big-picture perspective<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leadership in areas beyond marketing to help with strategic planning and bring the customer perspective into planning activities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A track record of success in moving the profit and reputation needles in a relatively short period of time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-potential-salary-for-a-cmo\"><strong>What is the potential salary for a CMO?<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>To be a top-earning CMO is less about the years you\u2019ve spent in the field, and more about your performance with respect to the industry you work in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe highest paid CMOs are the ones that can demonstrate they have transformed their brand\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-digital-marketing-online-short-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">digital marketing performance<\/a> and have strategic alliances with other c-suite executives\u201d, according to the CMO Compensation Report survey.<sup>4<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-click-on-a-country-nbsp-to-see-what-you-can-expect-to-get-paid-as-a-chief-marketing-officer-in-either-south-africa-the-united-kingdom-or-the-united-states-of-america\"><strong>Click on a country&nbsp;<\/strong>to see what you can expect to get paid as a Chief Marketing Officer in either South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States of America:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"show-for-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/graphics.getsmarter.com\/Blog+Post\/Interactive+Graphs\/CMO\/CMO+Line+graph.html\" width=\"970\" height=\"580\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"show-for-small-only\">\n<ul class=\"accordion\" data-accordion=\"\" data-allow-all-closed=\"true\">\n<li class=\"accordion-item is-active\" data-accordion-item=\"\"><a class=\"accordion-title\" href=\"#\">RSA<\/a>\n<div class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"\">\n<table style=\"width: 100%; height: 96px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 32px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 32px;\">Entry-Level<\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 32px;\"><strong>R504,918<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 32px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 32px;\">Mid-Career<\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 32px;\"><strong>R1,250,000<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 32px;\">\n<td style=\"height: 32px;\">15 Years Experience<\/td>\n<td style=\"height: 32px;\"><strong>R2,000,000<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"accordion\" data-accordion=\"\" data-allow-all-closed=\"true\">\n<li class=\"accordion-item\" data-accordion-item=\"\"><a class=\"accordion-title\" href=\"#\">UK<\/a>\n<div class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"\">\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Entry-Level<\/td>\n<td><strong>\u00a354,552<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mid-Career<\/td>\n<td><strong>\u00a3111,925<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>15 Years Experience<\/td>\n<td><strong>\u00a3206,009<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"accordion-item\" data-accordion-item=\"\"><a class=\"accordion-title\" href=\"#\">USA<\/a>\n<div class=\"accordion-content\" data-tab-content=\"\">\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Entry-Level<\/td>\n<td><strong>$87,050<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Mid-Career<\/td>\n<td><strong>$106, 745<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>15 Years Experience<\/td>\n<td><strong>$163, 668<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-education-and-training-requirements-for-a-cmo\"><strong>What are the education and training requirements for a CMO?<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>The modern-day CMO doesn\u2019t have a generic, one-size-fits-all background, but there are some educational and training guidelines that may pave your way to the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-take-your-next-step-in-becoming-a-cmo-with-a-featured-online-mba-program\">Take Your Next Step in Becoming a CMO with a Featured Online MBA Program<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/requestinfo.onlinebusiness.rice.edu\/index.html?s=getsmartersite&amp;l=become_cmo&amp;utm_source=getsmartersite&amp;utm_medium=link&amp;utm_campaign=become_cmo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"485\" height=\"254\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Rice-MBA-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Rice-MBA-1.jpg 485w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Rice-MBA-1-300x157.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Sponsored Online MBA Program<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Obtain a bachelor\u2019s degree:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A bachelor\u2019s degree in a business or marketing-related subject is usually required to begin your ascent up the ranks to CMO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But once you\u2019ve broken into marketing, your bachelor\u2019s degree becomes less relevant. Many companies believe that a well-rounded education, marked by any quality diploma from a respectable institution, is more important than what you studied ten years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Obtain an MBA or advanced degree in marketing:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a marketing or business professional wanting to move up to CMO, you can improve your prospects by enrolling in a Masters in Marketing, or better, an MBA program with a specialisation in Marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\u201cToday\u2019s CMO is expected to manage budgets, manage managers, be conversant in the many critical customer-related functions and have a more than passing understanding of strategy, accounting, corporate finance, project finance and leadership development. &nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>While one can gain quite a bit of insight and training in these areas without an undergraduate business degree through on-the-job exposure, I\u2019m a firm believer that an MBA provides new tools, techniques and a vocabulary that are difficult to replicate in a piecemeal fashion.\u201d &nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Timothy Corcoran, Corcoran Consulting<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div>\n            <!-- Responsive picture tag -->\n        <picture class=\"picture-block\">\n            <source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_career_growth_desktop.jpg\" >\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_career_growth_mobile.jpg\" alt=\"CMO_career_growth_mobile\">\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Get the right experience:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the race to CMO, <strong>it\u2019s your work experience that counts most.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most CMOs have approximately 10 years of well-rounded marketing or business development experience in positions of increasing responsibility, as well as three to five years of experience in a leadership role.<sup>5<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some experts recommend identifying a specific area in which you can excel. With deep domain expertise &#8211; understanding the target customer for a particular brand or product very well &#8211; you can make yourself a more attractive candidate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, according to a study by Forbes Insights, only 35% of current CMOs had a background in \u201centirely marketing\u201d.<sup>6<\/sup> So if you\u2019ve recognised this aspiration later on in the game, you still have time to develop your knowledge and expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider a part-time and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/subject-matter\/marketing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">online marketing course from a top-tier university<\/a>, to fit into your working schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-which-skills-do-you-need-next-nbsp\"><b>Which skills do you need next<\/b><b>? &nbsp;<\/b><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Download a course prospectus to find out how one of these online short courses can help you become a Chief Marketing Officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-marketing-online-short-course\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7740\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Marketing-300x295.png\" alt=\"CMO_Buttons_Marketing\" class=\"wp-image-7740\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Marketing-300x295.png 300w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Marketing.png 730w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-sales-management-online-short-course\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7741\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_SalesManagement-300x295.png\" alt=\"CMO_SalesManagement\" class=\"wp-image-7741\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_SalesManagement-300x295.png 300w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_SalesManagement-768x756.png 768w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_SalesManagement-1024x1009.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_SalesManagement.png 1460w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-brand-management-online-short-course\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7742\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Brand-Management-300x295.png\" alt=\"CMO_Buttons_Brand Management\" class=\"wp-image-7742\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Brand-Management-300x295.png 300w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Brand-Management.png 730w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-digital-marketing-online-short-course\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7743\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Digital-Marketing-300x295.png\" alt=\"CMO_Buttons_Digital Marketing\" class=\"wp-image-7743\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Digital-Marketing-300x295.png 300w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Digital-Marketing.png 731w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-search-engine-optimisation-seo-online-short-course\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7744\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_SEO-300x295.png\" alt=\"CMO_Buttons_SEO\" class=\"wp-image-7744\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_SEO-300x295.png 300w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_SEO.png 730w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/uct-social-media-marketing-online-short-course\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-7745\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Social-Media-300x295.png\" alt=\"CMO_Buttons_Social Media\" class=\"wp-image-7745\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Social-Media-300x295.png 300w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CMO_Buttons_Social-Media.png 730w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em><sup>1<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2014\/08\/the-rebirth-of-the-cmo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HBR<\/a><\/em><br><em> <sup>2<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2014\/08\/the-rebirth-of-the-cmo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HBR<\/a><\/em><br><em> <sup>3<\/sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cmo.com\/features\/articles\/2015\/3\/17\/cmo_to_ceos_.html#gs.zopetLM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Adobe<\/a><\/em><br><em> <sup>4<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketingweek.com\/2014\/07\/24\/the-highest-paid-cmos-are-the-best-digital-performers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marketing Week<\/a><\/em><br><em> <sup>5<\/sup><a href=\"http:\/\/www.paladinstaff.com\/jobs\/careers\/chief-marketing-officer-job-description\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Paladin<\/a><\/em><br><em> <sup>6<\/sup><a href=\"https:\/\/us.experteer.com\/magazine\/how-to-become-a-cmo-a-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Experteer<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to work alongside the CEO as the Chief Marketing Officer? Find out more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":17557,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[122,127],"article-format":[],"class_list":["post-7470","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-advice","tag-business-management","tag-career-advice"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.2 (Yoast SEO v26.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How To Become A Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - Career Advice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out what skills and experience you need to make it to the top of the marketing department as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/become-chief-marketing-officer-cmo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How To Become A Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Find out what skills and experience you need to make it to the top of the marketing department as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/become-chief-marketing-officer-cmo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"GetSmarter Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-07-25T11:21:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-22T11:22:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Chief_Marketing_Officer_Career_Path_Profile.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1043\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1042\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Shameel Mohanlal\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"GetSmarter Staff\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/become-chief-marketing-officer-cmo\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Chief_Marketing_Officer_Career_Path_Profile.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Chief_Marketing_Officer_Career_Path_Profile.png\",\"width\":1043,\"height\":1042},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/become-chief-marketing-officer-cmo\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\"}]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How To Become A Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - Career Advice","description":"Find out what skills and experience you need to make it to the top of the marketing department as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/become-chief-marketing-officer-cmo\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How To Become A Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)","og_description":"Find out what skills and experience you need to make it to the top of the marketing department as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).","og_url":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/become-chief-marketing-officer-cmo\/","og_site_name":"GetSmarter Blog","article_published_time":"2017-07-25T11:21:30+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-08-22T11:22:46+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1043,"height":1042,"url":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Chief_Marketing_Officer_Career_Path_Profile.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Shameel Mohanlal","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"GetSmarter Staff","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/become-chief-marketing-officer-cmo\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Chief_Marketing_Officer_Career_Path_Profile.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Chief_Marketing_Officer_Career_Path_Profile.png","width":1043,"height":1042},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/become-chief-marketing-officer-cmo\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog"}]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7470","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7470"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7470\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51535,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7470\/revisions\/51535"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7470"},{"taxonomy":"article-format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article-format?post=7470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}