Brand Communicator’s Jeremiah Agada explores Aishat Anaekwe’s crucial LinkedIn post examining why CMOs rarely ascend to CEO positions. In her post, Aishat argues marketing remains marginalized as a cost centre rather than a business growth driver., while identifying key challenges. Agada also aggregates views from industry experts on the issue with Tosin Balogun (Strategy Director for Scanad Africa) countering that CEOs share responsibility by undervaluing marketing despite evidence of its impact. Tope Akindele (Fidson Healthcare) argues on the need for marketers to redefine success in financial terms, while Keren Otiono (Africa Prudential) and Benjamin Ikade (Agro Grid) buttress aligning marketing strategies with business objectives and P&L impact.
Aishat Anaekwe is a seasoned marketing executive with a wealth of experience spanning FMCG, financial services, and global brand management. Her recent thought-provoking LinkedIn post, titled “Marketing is Failing at the Leadership Table—Here’s Why”, has sparked an important discussion on the role of marketing in business strategy and why marketing continues to be undervalued at the C-suite level.
Her argument is that most Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) won’t ascend to the role of CEO—not because they lack intelligence or capability, but because marketing is still widely perceived as a cost centre rather than a driver of business growth. She also argues that despite marketing’s potential to drive business transformation, CMOs often find themselves sidelined, with little influence over overall business strategy.
Aishat identifies key challenges that prevent marketing from being fully embraced at the leadership level. She argues that too many marketing leaders focus solely on brand awareness without linking their work to commercial impact. Many rely on vanity metrics rather than tangible business outcomes, which diminishes their credibility in the boardroom. Additionally, marketing leaders often fail to communicate in terms that resonate with the C-suite, relying on marketing jargon instead of the language of finance and operations.
She asserts that marketing must evolve beyond flashy campaigns and become a force for business transformation. “The most effective marketing isn’t just about creating beautiful campaigns; it’s about reshaping business strategy and directly influencing revenue,” she states. Indeed, data supports this argument—a McKinsey study found that companies with a strong marketing and sales alignment see 208% higher revenue than those without.
Expert Reactions: Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Leadership
The conversation sparked by Anaekwe’s post brought a variety of responses from marketing professionals, each offering their insights into the disconnect between marketing and executive leadership.
Tosin Balogun, Strategy Director for Scanad Africa, believes that the challenge isn’t solely on marketers but also on CEOs who fail to recognize the power of marketing. “With the abundance of evidence and case studies showing how marketing drives growth, any CEO in the 21st century who still believes marketing is a cost centre is the problem,” he says. Balogun points to the example of John Donahoe’s tenure at Nike, where strategic missteps led to a decline in market leadership. “The issues are both sides. CMOs need to up their game I agree. But some CEOs are also equally guilt of making bad businesses decisions and refusing to acknowledge the value of marketing when there are sufficient validating evidences.”
He also warns against dismissing critical metrics too quickly, emphasizing that metrics like Excess Share of Voice (ESOV) are crucial in predicting long-term market success. “One of the reliable predictors of market share growth is Excess Share of Voice (ESOV). This metric is critical in predicting how brands gain market share over time but no brand can gain ESOV without brand awareness.” Research by Nielsen backs this up, showing that brands with an ESOV greater than their market share tend to grow, proving that visibility remains a key driver of success.
Tope Akindele, Corporate Services Manager at Fidson Healthcare PLC, echoes Anaekwe’s concerns. He emphasizes that marketers must redefine their success in terms of financial impact. “The dilemma is that most of our outcomes seem to be more qualitative than quantitative. While that may not necessarily be a problem, the way we define and report our measures of success needs to change,” he notes. Harvard Business Review reports that only 53% of marketers are confident they can measure ROI effectively, underscoring the need for better-defined success metrics.
Keren Otiono, Lead for Marketing and Corporate Communications at Africa Prudential PLC, shares how her perspective changed when she transitioned from focusing on brand awareness to lead generation. “Now, before approaching any marketing strategy, the first questions I ask are: What’s the company’s objective for the year? What deals are we trying to close? What are the internal goals?” she explains. This shift in thinking is becoming more necessary, as research from Forrester reveals that companies with a customer-focused marketing strategy are 60% more profitable than those without.
Benjamin Ikade, Marketing Manager at Agro Grid, reinforces the need for marketers to align closely with financial objectives. “Marketing strategy must be directly tied to P&L impact. That’s the only way to secure a real seat at the leadership table. The future CMO isn’t just a storyteller but a business leader who drives both short-term profitability and long-term brand value,” he states.
How CMOs Can Secure Their Seat at the Table
From Aishat’s perspective and the comments received, a clear path emerges for marketing professionals looking to gain more executive influence. The first step is for marketing leaders to own the commercial agenda and demonstrate their role as revenue drivers rather than cost centers. This means aligning marketing objectives with overall business goals and working closely with financial teams to show how marketing efforts translate into profitability. “The next generation of marketing leaders must own the commercial agenda. We need to move beyond being “brand custodians” and start shaping overall business strategy. The best CMOs of tomorrow will be the ones who think like CEOs,” she wrote.
Marketers must also reframe their approach to metrics. While brand awareness remains important, it must be integrated with data that highlights direct business outcomes. Whether it’s customer acquisition, lifetime value, or profitability, marketing success should be evaluated using business-oriented metrics rather than just engagement statistics.
Equally important is the ability to communicate in a way that resonates with other business leaders. Marketing professionals should develop a strong understanding of financial statements, profitability drivers, and operational efficiency. The ability to speak the language of the C-suite will position marketing leaders as true business partners.
Another critical shift is balancing short-term and long-term objectives. As Ikade notes, “Brand equity is a long-term revenue driver—not just a vanity play. The best CMOs balance immediate business outcomes with sustained market leadership.” Marketers must advocate for a holistic approach where immediate revenue generation and long-term brand health are seen as complementary rather than competing goals.
Indeed, Aishat Anaekwe’s post has ignited a necessary conversation about marketing’s place in executive leadership. The responses from industry professionals reinforce that while CMOs must evolve, so must the broader business landscape’s understanding of marketing’s role.
The future of marketing leadership hinges on one critical shift: moving from being viewed as a support function to being recognized as a driver of business transformation. As Aishat puts it, “The best marketing leaders of tomorrow will be those who think, act, and influence like CEOs today.”