Journey from CMO to NED

Journey from CMO to NED

Unlock your path from CMO to NED. Hear from marketing leaders who made the transition successfully in this Studio roundtable debate.

A leader never stops learning. Marketers in particular have had to be both adaptable to evolutions in their responsibilities and resilient to market forces that impact everything, from its customers’ habits to its quarterly budgets. There comes a point, however, when the skills and experience a CMO acquires can be put to good use elsewhere; this is normally when the Non-Executive Director, or NED, role comes into view.

Competition for these influential roles is tough. The skills required in order to succeed are different to that of an executive position. The journey from CMO to NED can sometimes be the most difficult part of one’s career.

In this panel discussion, marketing leaders who have successfully made the leap from CMO to NED share their insights about what it takes before, during and after landing your first directorial position. From strategising their roadmap years in advance, to seeking advice from fellow peers as to their personality and strong suits, time and patience are the CMO’s friends here. 

A clear understanding of (the) business is critical because when becoming a NED, an executive sheds their functionality and steps into a neutral position, albeit with a specialism in whatever function from which they have emerged. Marketers typically have an excellent eye for brand, customer experience and new trends. These can and should be utilised as a NED when asking specific questions of the C-suite. This is a nuanced difference that isn’t well documented, we heard. 

What’s more, leaders should also be patient. Applying for any NED position is the wrong strategy: take the time to find the right company, with the right values, and the passion will shine through in your application and interviews. Not only will you be more successful in the position, you will enjoy it, too. That is another under-discussed element of the journey from CMO to NED: it is supposed to be fun.

Marketing leader insights:

• Ruth Rowan, CMO, Avanade
• Leor Franks, Director of Marketing & Business Development, Kingsley Napley
• Catherine Gallagher, Non Executive Director, Ubank
• Simonetta Rigo, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Evelyn Partners

Watch highlights: Journey from CMO to NED

Watch the highlights to learn the best route forward and kickstart your NED career as a CMO.

This roundtable was recorded at The Studio. To find out more, click ‘The Studio’.

Ready to discover more? If you liked these highlights, click the button below to watch the full roundtable debate.

Navigating the Journey to NED

In this In The Hot Seat discussion, our moderator Doug Drinkwater was joined by a panel of experienced C-suite technology executives and NEDs to discuss the role, responsibilities and purpose of an NED. In what ways can leaders navigate the journey to the next natural step beyond the C-suite?

Navigating the Journey to NED