Advertise on podcast: CMO Convo

CMO tenure sits at just 4.2 years, the shortest of any role in the C-suite. On this episode of CMO Convo, we sat down with Tomer Zucker, former VP Marketing at companies like Microsoft and IBM and now founder of Pave Your Way, to unpack what's really driving that number. The usual explanations point to performance and attribution gaps. Tomer argues those factors are real but incomplete. He walks us through a framework built on two variables: how secure a CEO feels, and how visible a CMO is inside the organization. Together they produce four distinct patterns, from the quiet "silent exit" to the political ousting of high-performing CMOs who become too visible for a threatened CEO to tolerate.

What does it actually mean to be an AI-first marketing team, and how is that different from simply using AI tools? In this episode of CMO Convo, host Michal Lasman sits down with Ben Brown, VP of Marketing at ReBiz, to break down what building a true AI-first marketing engine looks like in practice. Ben draws a clear line between AI-enabled organizations, those bolting on tools like ChatGPT or Jasper for efficiency gains, and AI-first teams that embed AI into the core of how they operate. He walks through the foundational assets every marketing team needs before they can scale with AI, from brand narratives and style guides to product messaging docs, and explains why none of that replaces the fundamentals of great marketing.

Most companies compete on features. Brian Button thinks that's exactly why they lose. Brian is a brand strategist and former creative director who helped shape the identities of Lyft, DoorDash, and Instacart. In this episode, he joins Michal Lasman to break down why brand is your most powerful competitive advantage, and what it actually takes to build one that sticks. From the Lyft vs. Uber brand wars to helping a $100M company rediscover its identity, Brian shares what he's learned about turning product-led thinking into something customers genuinely connect with. If your marketing sounds like everyone else's, this one's for you.

In this episode of CMO Convo, host Michal Lasman sits down with Jason Hemingway, Chief Marketing Officer at Phrase, to explore what it really means to build a global brand in 2026 and beyond. In this episode: -Why "design for global from day one" should be every marketer's mindset -How language becomes a creative multiplier, not a logistical burden -The role of AI and agentic systems in scaling culturally fluent content

Marketing leaders are constantly being told their efforts need to drive revenue. But Angeley Mullins believes that effective marketing has always been driving revenue, we just haven't been able to show it. Until now... Key talking points The case for marketing as a revenue driver.How to effectively show how marketing is driving revenue, even in circumstances where attribution is difficult.The stakeholders you need to be working with to show the efficacy of marketing.Want to really master showing revenue drivers to the rest of the C-Suite? Maximize your abilities with C-Suite Masterclass.

In this episode of CMO Convo, Yana Sirenko (Samsung) explains how the role of marketing is shifting from execution to orchestration, where success depends on how well teams collaborate across data, partners, and markets. From treating data as a competitive advantage to navigating cross-cultural teams, this conversation reframes what modern marketing leadership actually looks like. In this episode: → Why marketing is moving from campaigns to customer ecosystems → What it means to treat data as a “strategic currency” → How AI is changing targeting, segmentation, and decision-making → The reality of partner ecosystems and brand control across markets → Why leadership today is about influence, not control

AI is rapidly changing how marketing teams operate. But technology adoption is moving faster than marketers themselves. In this episode of CMO Convo, Webflow CMO Dave Steer shares how marketing leaders should think about AI adoption, team structure, and the future of the marketing role. While AI can dramatically increase efficiency, the real challenge isn’t the technology. It’s helping teams develop the skills, processes, and critical thinking needed to use it effectively. As Dave explains, marketers currently have a short window to build AI fluency before the industry changes permanently. → Why marketing teams have a short “grace period” to become AI-fluent → How leaders should introduce AI tools without overwhelming teams → The risk AI poses to early-career marketers → Why the marketer of the future will look more like a go-to-market engineer → Why trust will remain the most defensible advantage for brands For marketing leaders navigating AI transformation, this conversation offers a grounded look at what skills, mindset, and leadership will matter most.

What does resilience really look like inside a 140+ year-old media brand? In this episode of CMO Convo, we sit down with Finola McDonnell, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at the Financial Times, to explore how a legacy publisher stays relevant in an era defined by AI, platform disruption, and shifting audience behaviour. Finola shares how the FT differentiates between truth and trust — and why that distinction shapes everything from brand strategy to product decisions. → Why trust is a strategic asset, not just a value statement → How the FT balances AI adoption with human editorial oversight → What brand really means in a subscription-led business → How to lead teams through constant industry change → Why CMOs in 2026 should double down on core strengths instead of chasing every fad This is a conversation about discipline, identity, and building a brand people do not want to leave.

In a world moving faster than most organizations can process, clarity has become a leadership advantage. In this episode of CMO Convo, Robin Karakash, former VP of Marketing at Mozilla and founder of Curious Altitudes, explores why narrative is no longer just a storytelling device but a strategic infrastructure that aligns teams, builds trust, and helps companies navigate constant change. When teams operate from competing storylines, misalignment follows. But when leaders establish a shared narrative, organizations gain direction and the confidence to move faster. Inside: → Why narrative is the “sense-making process” that unifies organizations → The difference between storytelling and narrative architecture → How misalignment starts and what leaders often overlook → A simple framework to locate complexity and set direction → Why the next evolution of the CMO may be the “Chief Narrative Officer” → How clarity creates trust, accountability, and better decisions As Robin puts it, “People want certainty, but we live in an uncertain world… whatever stays in your control is you own your own narrative.”

As marketing teams head into 2026, the pressure is clear: move faster, prove revenue impact, adopt AI without losing what makes marketing work in the first place. In this episode of CMO Convo, CMO Michal Sever shares how she's navigating that tension from the inside. From building AI-powered creative machines to protecting human judgment, creativity, and trust, this conversation goes beyond surface-level AI talk and into real leadership decisions. Key ideas explored: → Why marketing can’t afford to be treated as a cost center anymore → How to scale creativity with AI without burning out teams → The “athlete mindset” for modern marketing leaders → Where AI genuinely helps — and where human validation is non-negotiable → Preparing teams, budgets, and strategy for 2026 with clarity, not hype

B2B2C marketing sits in its own strange universe: part enterprise, part consumer, and entirely shaped by gatekeepers, complexity, and wildly diverse end-users. In this conversation, Annie Furlong (VP of Consumer and Growth Marketing) breaks down what makes the model uniquely challenging, especially in healthcare, where literacy, access, and timing fundamentally shape how people engage. Annie shares how she built a niche community for B2B2C marketers, why personalization must scale across wildly different audiences, and how trust becomes the differentiator when your product only matters at a moment of need. She also dives into leadership, vulnerability, and why curiosity is still an underrated competitive advantage. → How to navigate the “no silver bullet” reality of B2B2C → Why healthcare marketing requires translation, timing, and empathy → The critical link between vulnerability, confidence, and leadership → How to approach AI with skepticism, experimentation, and a beginner’s mindset → What excites leading marketers heading into 2026

AI avatars are moving fast, faster than regulation, faster than most teams can adapt, and in some cases, faster than human comfort levels. In this conversation, marketing leader Tomer Zuker breaks down what’s actually happening behind the scenes: the real technology, the ethical risks, and why brands are quietly preparing for a hybrid future of humans, agents, and fully conversational avatars. Tomer shares what he’s seeing inside organizations adopting AI today, how synthetic influencers are reshaping audience expectations, and why authenticity now has two different meanings. → What AI avatars really are (and the two types every marketer should know) → How conversational avatars change customer experience → The ethics, risks, and trust dilemmas brands can’t ignore → When humans vs. avatars vs. AI agents make sense → Why the future of authenticity is more complex than it looks

When marketing and finance work in silos, growth stalls. But when the CMO and CFO operate as true partners? The business moves faster and decisions get smarter. In this conversation, Audrey Masset (Senior Director of Marketing) and Mark Beakhouse (CFO) at Wegrow share what it really takes to build a high-trust, co-owned relationship between marketing and finance, one that goes beyond budget approvals and into shared growth responsibility. → Why marketing can no longer be seen as a cost center → How CMOs earn credibility with CFOs (data, transparency & shared KPIs) → The systems and dashboards that align sales, finance, and marketing → Why long-term impact matters just as much as short-term pipeline → The mindset shift marketing leaders must develop to drive revenue This episode is essential for CMOs, CFOs, RevOps leaders, and anyone shaping go-to-market strategy inside a scaling business.

What does authentic thought leadership look like inside a company, and how do you make it part of your culture, not just your content strategy? In this episode of CMO Convo, Karen Chalmers, VP of Marketing and Partnerships at InterVal, shares her philosophy on building trust in B2B, empowering every employee to use their voice, and keeping authenticity alive in the era of AI. Karen’s own career “jungle gym” — from film and design to marketing leadership — has shaped how she thinks about storytelling, creativity, and human connection in business. This is a conversation about trust, empowerment, and the power of showing up as real people behind a brand. What you’ll learn: → How to build thought leadership across your entire team → Why authenticity drives trust in B2B relationships → How to balance AI tools with a human voice → Simple ways to start a thought leadership program internally

AI and large language models are rewriting how people discover and evaluate brands. In this episode of CMO Convo, Guy Yalif, Chief Evangelist at Webflow, explains why traditional SEO is no longer enough, and how marketing leaders can adapt before it’s too late. Guy shares the “perfect storm” CMOs are facing: a loss of control over brand narratives, declining traffic from AI overviews, and the growing challenge of standing out in the “sea of sameness.” But he also highlights where the opportunity lies: higher-quality conversions, new authority channels like Reddit and LinkedIn, and a shift from keywords to answer clusters. → Why AI-driven search is reshaping brand visibility → The difference between SEO and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) → The four areas CMOs must rethink: content, technical, authority, and measurement → Practical steps to future-proof your brand in the age of AI