Revenue as a team sport: CMOs and their C-suite peers

CMOs and their C-suite peers

Discover how B2B CMOs are navigating the dynamics of the C-suite, building trust with CROs and CEOs, and redefining their role in revenue generation and strategic planning.

Industry observers often view and discuss the executive team as a team. Handpicked by the CEO these figureheads look after their functions independently, and, together, support the business as a whole. On paper and in practice, they are on the same side. But the very human cut and thrust of running a business can impact the team dynamic of an executive table dramatically; cyber breaches, competition, miscommunication, even ego… all contribute to both the natural creative friction that drives innovation and actual friction that many leaders experience. Sometimes, the C-suite does not feel like, or act like, a team.  

B2B CMO in a revenue-centric team

One of the more common examples of this lies in revenue generation, particularly within B2B technology businesses. 

Sales teams ride a long tail of client management for outsize revenues, compared to its consumer-facing sectors. Buy-in from net-new relationships often requires many steps of communication, both virtual and in-person, and involves multiple stakeholders within the organisation. Influence is delivered through direct contact, word of mouth, advertising, savvy channel marketing, events, and relationships. Whether the business likes it or not, winning hearts and minds remains an art, not a science.

Or does it? B2B marketers have made great strides in digitising its efforts and putting procedures in place to measure its effectiveness. Attribution models and community databases are sectors in their own right now, and have allowed marketing to remain central to a business’ growth story. Complicating this story is, first, marketer’s relationship with sales, and second, their relationship with a relatively new C-suite role: the Chief Revenue Officer, the CRO.

The CRO could be an ally to the CMO, an alternative career path, or a sign the business does not trust this department with driving leads and brand awareness in a serious manner. For the B2B marketing function, the problem is not just proving value—it is being trusted to define it in the first place

Are CMOs experiencing an identity crisis?

“We’re seeing a disconnect,” confirmed one participant. “The CEO sees certain channels or initiatives as influential, but that doesn’t align with how marketing is tracking success.” Others nodded in agreement. “The issue isn’t just technical—it’s cultural,” they continued.

Much of the frustration stemmed from how marketing is still perceived as a service function, not a strategic partner. “I’m tired of having to justify my existence in KPIs,” one marketer quipped. The room laughed, knowingly. “I want agency, not just accountability.”

That comment struck a nerve. Throughout the session, the tension between accountability and autonomy emerged as a major theme. Marketers are increasingly held responsible for pipeline contribution, yet their strategic input into sales or product direction remains minimal. It is a double bind: expected to perform, but not empowered to lead. And often, by reporting into a Chief Revenue Officer, marketers see this reflected in their relationship.

Trust as a strategic metric

The marketing wants to earn its seat at the top table, not just occupy one.

For many in the room, the answer lies not in better reporting dashboards but in storytelling and cross-functional empathy.

“Too often we lead with numbers—MQLs, reach, conversion rates,” one CMO said. “But when we talk to the CRO, we need to lead with people: personas, deals, specific accounts we’ve influenced. That’s how you show we’re moving the needle.”

This insight echoes a wider industry shift. According to McKinsey, companies that embed marketing leaders deeply into strategic planning (rather than relegating them to campaign execution) are 1.5 times more likely to achieve above-average revenue growth. Yet many CMOs remain locked out of key decision-making loops, especially when it comes to budget allocation and growth strategy. By being bolder in voicing their desire to be included, CMOs could support more tangible growth.

Gaining commercial credibility—and agency

Another pain point: attribution. Attendees expressed exasperation over the limitations of multi-touch models, especially in complex B2B environments where deal cycles stretch for months and involve multiple stakeholders.

One participant described the futility of retroactively assigning value to every interaction. “I’m putting in a recommendation next week to stop treating first- and last-touch as gospel. Instead, I want to highlight the narrative: what did this campaign change in our pipeline?”

That shift—from static metrics to dynamic impact—is worth keeping an eye on. As Forrester recently reported, 70 percent of B2B marketing executives say that internal alignment with sales is their biggest challenge. Yet only 36 percent report regularly co-owning pipeline targets with sales leadership.

As the discussion continued, the concept of “gaining agency” became shorthand for something deeper: building the kind of trust with commercial counterparts that allows marketing to steer, not just support.

“Real influence means being part of decisions before the board meeting,” one attendee said. “That means investing in the relationship with the CFO, understanding their concerns, and presenting marketing strategy as risk mitigation as well as growth.”

Trust, it seems, is built not on flashy campaigns or vanity metrics, but on strategic fluency. Marketers who become advocates for business resilience show how well-timed thought leadership or a nimble pivot in messaging can defend revenue in turbulent times.

Closing thoughts

This Food for Thought session ended not with a set of solutions, but a renewed sense of shared struggle and shared opportunity. “We need to start thinking like evangelists for our own function,” someone concluded. “If we don’t advocate for what marketing ought to be, who else will?”