2024: A year of power moves for global CMOs

In 2024, several leading global brands turned to new marketing leaders to navigate the challenges of digital transformation, data-driven strategies, and heightened consumer expectations.

Broadly, technology and digital transformation have taken center stage as CMOs with expertise in technology and digital innovation are in high demand. Moreover, organisations are increasingly valuing marketing leaders with cross-industry experience to bring fresh perspectives, suggesting that the ability to adapt to different industries and bring innovative approaches is pivotal for CMOs driving growth.

Here's a closer look at the most notable CMO appointments of 2024:

Kate Rouch- OpenAI’s first CMO

Among the year's most important CMO developments, OpenAI hired its first chief marketing officer in December to elevate its position in the AI space. Kate Rouch will lead all marketing efforts at OpenAI, including the company’s initiatives to further develop AI as a powerful tool for individuals and enterprises. Previously, Rouch held the CMO position at Coinbase.

“The Coinbase journey proves that smart marketing can transform a brand into an asymmetrical business advantage for frontier tech companies – in good times, and bad times,” Rouch wrote on X, calling it her inspiration for the move to OpenAI.

Prior to joining Coinbase in 2021 as the company’s first CMO , Rouch spent 11 years at Meta working on brand and product marketing for its portfolio of brands including Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and the Facebook app.

Rouch's appointment as OpenAI's first CMO underscores the emphasis on aligning marketing with tech-driven innovation.

Lara Balazs, CMO and EVP- Global Marketing , Adobe

Adobe announced the appointment of Lara Balazs as Chief Marketing Officer ( CMO ) and Executive Vice President, Global Marketing reporting directly to CEO Shantanu Narayen. Balazs previously served as CMO and General Manager, Strategic Partner Group at financial software and services leader, Intuit.

Balazs will lead the Global Marketing Organization responsible for Adobe’s renowned brand, Adobe.com, the company’s industry-leading events, campaigns, communications, social media and its best-in-class media operations and marketing insights.

Named to Forbes’ list of the World’s Most Influential CMOs and a recipient of AdWeek's CMO Vanguard Award, Balazs’ marketing career spans key leadership roles at some of the world’s most respected brands such as Amazon, Visa and Nike, delivering innovative customer-centric marketing strategies that propel transformational growth.

Ranjita Ghosh- Global CMO , Wipro

Wipro appointed Ranjita Ghosh as the Global Chief Marketing Officer in the last week of December.

Ranjita Ghosh will assume her new role from February 1, 2025. In this role, she will lead all marketing activities for Wipro Limited across its geographies, shaping the company’s brand and contributing significantly to its growth.

Ranjita will report to the Chief Strategist & Technology Officer Hari Shetty. She will take over from Laura Langdon, who has decided to explore career opportunities outside Wipro Limited.

Emma Storer - Group CMO , M&C Saatchi UK

Emma Storer was appointed as Group CMO at M&C Saatchi UK in December.

In her post, Emma Storer stated, “So, a new year will bring a whole new opportunity, joining Jo and the rest of the M&C Saatchi UK team is going to be thrilling".

"For now, I get to close out the year with my much loved T&Pm team, we really have moved mountains and I am incredibly proud", her LinkedIn post read.

Prior to joining M&C Saatchi UK, Storer was with T&Pm for about 2 years as Group CMO . In her previous stints, Emma Storer has worked with VMLY&R, Brainlabs, PHD, McCann Erickson, DigitasLBi among others.

Geoff Seeley- CMO , Paypal

Financial technology company PayPal roped in Geoff Seeley in February as its Chief Marketing Officer earlier this year. Seeley announced his new move on LinkedIn.

“Beyond excited to share I’ll be joining the incredible new leadership team at PayPal soon as Chief Marketing Officer ”, Seeley posted on LinkedIn.

Prior to this, he was with a mobile payment service company named Cash App and looked after its marketing operations. In his previous stints, Seeley has worked with Afterpay, Airbnb, Pearson, Unilever, Ogilvy Group UK among others.

Seeley is a seasoned global marketing and product leader with nearly 25 years of rich experience.

Catherine Tan-Gillespie, CMO and Chief Development Officer , KFC US

In September, KFC named Catherine Tan-Gillespie as the Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Development Officer for KFC US, effective immediately. She reports to Tarun Lal, president of KFC U.S.

In this role, Tan-Gillespie develops and implements innovative marketing strategies to return the business to growth in the U.S. This includes oversight of all integrated marketing , advertising, public relations, media and consumer insights, as well as the brand's digital initiatives.

Prior to KFC, Tan-Gillespie served in various marketing roles in food, working for Frito-Lay, Goodman Fielder, and Dairy Farmers, and in entertainment, working for Sony and Universal Pictures.

Her journey from food to entertainment and now to KFC further illustrates this preference for versatile marketing leadership.

Liam Murphy- Marketing Director, UK, Pernod Ricard

Liam Murphy was promoted to Marketing Director, UK at Pernod Ricard in September. Murphy took to LinkedIn to announce his new role at the company.

Prior to this, Liam Murphy held the role of Brand Director - UK. Murphy has been associated with Pernod Ricard for over 9.5 years.

“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Marketing Director, UK at Pernod Ricard”, his LinkedIn post read.

Murphy replaced Leanne Banks, who  moved to the position of Marketing Director of Business Acceleration at Chivas Brothers, Pernod Ricard's scotch whisky business.