“I trust my CMO” — but not with growth?
Study: CEOs are praising CMOs—quietly sidelining them from the growth table.
Consultancy Boathouse asked 150 U.S. CEOs what they really think about their CMOs. The findings reveal a fascinating paradox.
CEOs are giving CMOs plenty of praise:
✔️ 76% say the CMO is committed to the CEO/board over self
✔️ 71% give them an A or B overall performance grade
✔️ 65% say their CMO “understands the business goals”
✔️ 61% say the CMO is “performance-minded” (I wonder what the other 39% are)
But then… :
❌ Only 19% of CEOs say their CMO drives company growth (down from 31%)
❌ Just 24% believe their CMO can translate company goals into marketing goals
❌ Only 27% say their CMO builds strong C-suite trust and relationships
❌ Half of CEOs say their CMO is playing it safe
(Source: Boathouse – The 2025 Annual CEO Study on Marketing and the CMO)
I wonder: is there a generation of brilliant, well-liked marketers… who aren’t expected to grow the business? Or do CMOs need better self-marketing?
Sure, this is just one study—it doesn’t represent every CEO. It’s not a peer-reviewed academic paper (though it’s one of the better surveys out there). And as we see in the CMO Fellowship, many top marketers get it—and are on their way to becoming CEOs.
But it’s a reminder: keep building trust and soft skills—but be sure to act as a leader of growth.
If you’re a CMO: are you seen as a partner in driving the business—or just a lovely team player?
Let’s keep making the shift.