Who holds the CMO seat in 2026, and how the role is holding up in the AI era

We looked at 3,773 people who hold the Chief Marketing Officer title today and the 3,274 companies they lead. The report covers how long they stay, where they came from, what they say in public, how much of their work already involves AI, and what kind of companies they run marketing for, with every number split by company size.

It is a 22-slide report, free to read in about fifteen minutes, with no form in the way. It works on a phone.

Inside the report:

  • Tenure: the typical CMO has been in the seat 3.1 years, and a quarter more than 5.8
  • Repeat CMOs: more than a third held the title somewhere else first
  • The path in: five roles at four companies, and the share who came up through marketing
  • Voice: 83% post, 2% share opinion, and what earns engagement
  • AI: 38% show an AI signal, and why smaller companies are ahead
  • The companies: industries, size, revenue, funding and the martech behind the seat

Prefer the short version? Read the companion article on the findings that surprised us.

Read the report