CMO Moves Mid-March Update

In an age where clicks equal cash, heavyweights like Fortune, AdWeek, and Business Insider have stirred up a storm in a teacup lately, suggesting the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role is on the brink of extinction. Yet, we believe this narrative is more about generating buzz than reflecting reality. The truth?

Data reveals an uptick in CMO hires.

Last year, we saw a total of 29 CMOs appointed in the first three months. Today, we are still halfway through March, and there have been 57 CMOs announced. 

In fact, in the first two weeks of March alone, 10 new CMOs were announced, with an equal split between men and women. All of them were hired from outside the company. And four of them are taking on the role of CMO for the first time. Industry-wise, the software development field leads the way with 3 new CMO hires, followed by the insurance with two new CMOs.

Contrary to the narrative of decline, the evolution of the CMO role is in full swing. Organizations are retaining and elevating their marketing chiefs, recognizing their role in steering companies through digital complexity.

PayPal

PayPal has appointed Geoff Seeley as its new Chief Marketing Officer, succeeding Leanne Sheraton, who is stepping down for a career break.

With an impressive track record, Seeley previously served as the global CMO and communications officer at Block subsidiaries Cash App and Afterpay. His marketing experience includes leadership positions at Airbnb, Peason, and Unilever.

This move aligns with PayPal's recent restructuring efforts, including the hiring of key executives such as former Intuit veteran, Alex Chriss as President and CEO, Rachel Kobetz as its first Chief Design Officer, and Diego Scotti, as EVP and GM leading Consumer and Global Marketing and Communications.

Under their leadership, PayPal aims to enhance the company’s legacy branded checkout experience, streamline the checkout process, and reduce friction for consumers and merchants.

Seeley's arrival also coincides with PayPal's unveiling of six AI-powered commerce tools designed to optimize the shopping experience for users and merchants alike.

CrossFit

The wellness brand CrossFit has hired Jenna Hauca as its new CMO.

Jenna joins CrossFit after spending five years at Barry’s, where she led their digital transformation and launched the foundational technology platforms necessary to support a 20-year-old brand through its most exciting phase of national and international expansion, post PE takeover.

Before Barry’s, Jenna oversaw digital, innovation, analytics, and business development at Generator Media + Analytics, a marketing agency based out of New York City.

Jenna wasn’t a marketer by training. Before joining the agency, she was a published neuroscientist at Princeton University, a volunteer firefighter, a nationally registered EMT, and an ice hockey player.

(If you have a more impressive bio, please write to us)

CrossFit is a branded fitness regimen that involves constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity.

The belly-busting company provides training programs, certifications, and licenses to gyms and trainers worldwide to offer CrossFit classes.

Today the company formed what it claims to be the biggest fitness chain in the world, with around 12,000 affiliated gyms in over 150 countries as of 2022, under half of which are located in the United States. That’s a lot of sweat!

Lumen

Not everyone has heard of Lumen. But they’re a telecommunications giant, employing 44,000+ people in the United States.

Denver-based Shaun Andrews left his spot as Lumen’s Chief Marketing Officer in the Spring and the CMO ladder has been hankering to see where he might land.

To our surprise and delight, Shaun is not taking a CMO role this time, but a CEO post. He’s just been announced as the CEO of IT Services business TPx, replacing Rick Mace who is retiring.

Rick praised Shaun in a recent announcement, citing his Leadership Skills, Business Acumen, Industry Knowledge, and Affinity for SMBs as the rationale behind his appointment.

We hope to see more CMOs harness their business acumen and reputation to take more jobs at the top of the ladder in the near future.

Meanwhile, Lumen has found their CMO in Microsoft Veteran Ryan Asdourian. Ryan spent 20 years at Microsoft in product and marketing leadership roles in the Security Business Group, the Microsoft Surface Team, and the Microsoft Devices BG. Prior to that, he served as Technical Advisor to Satya Nadella, the Microsoft CEO. That’s quite the resume!

Regular viewers will remember we featured the promotion of Takeshi Numoto as Microsoft’s CMO in October. We can’t help but wonder if Ryan’s decision to leave has anything to do with the fact that he was qualified on paper for the big gig.

An incoming CMO at Lumen will likely focus on sharpening the company's brand positioning around technological advancements and next-gen offerings, ensuring that messaging around the themes of connectivity, telco industry advancement, and customer success resonate with current and future clients and trends.

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