The role of the CMO has never been more complex or more essential. We stand at the crossroads of technology, trust, and transformation.
The question is no longer how to market products, but how to build brands that lead with purpose and resilience in a world that’s constantly shifting.
This was the heart of our conversation at the CMO Roundtable during Innovation Day Lausanne in November 2025 and the insights that emerged point toward a new kind of marketing leadership:
One that blends data with depth, speed with soul, and innovation with intention.
1. The New CMO Mandate: Lead Beyond the Funnel
Today’s CMO is no longer just the voice of the customer they are the architect of transformation.
According to Salesforce’s 2025 State of Marketing Report, 78% of global CMOs say their role now includes driving business innovation and cultural change, not just communication.
This means marketing must expand beyond campaigns and channels into ecosystems, communities, and human experiences.
The modern CMO must ask not only: What are we selling?
But also: What are we standing for?
2. From Performance to Purpose
At the Innovation Day, one theme kept coming up: Performance is nothing without purpose.
We all feel the pressure of KPIs, quarterly targets, and dashboards.
But sustainable success isn’t just about numbers it’s about meaningful impact.
Purpose-driven marketing delivers measurable results. Data shows that purpose-led brands grow three times faster than those without a clear mission, and employees at purpose-oriented companies are 1.7x more engaged and loyal.
When teams know why they work, they naturally perform better.
3. Resilience as a Marketing Superpower
Resilience isn’t just a personal trait it’s a strategic capability. In an environment shaped by uncertainty geopolitical shifts, AI disruption, changing consumer expectations CMOs must design marketing organisations that can adapt fast without losing their essence.
That’s where empathy and mindset come in.
As a certified mental trainer, I often remind leaders that resilience doesn’t come from constant strength it comes from consistent self-awareness.
A resilient team is not one that never falls, but one that knows how to recover with purpose.
4. Agentic AI: Enabling Creative Time
One of the most promising enablers for resilience is Agentic AI
not to replace people, but to return time to them. With systems like Agentic Salesforce Enterprise, CMOs can shift focus from repetitive execution to strategic creation.
By automating the “doing,” we make space for the “being” and that’s where innovation, creativity, and empathy thrive.
5. The Future Belongs to Human-First Leaders
The future CMO is both technologist and humanist.
They understand algorithms but lead with empathy.
They measure ROI but prioritise well-being.
They drive growth but never lose sight of impact.
This is marketing with purpose, a discipline that no longer just sells stories, but creates meaning.
