What’s the career path for the typical CMO? If you think being a wizard at brand management, developing memorable ad campaigns or making a splash with social media is the predictable path, think again. According to a study conducted by executive search consultant and career expert Kathryn Ullrich, only 34 percent of CMOs and VPs of marketing arrive at the top post because of their experiences in marketing.
Only 34 percent of senior marketing executives come out of the traditional marketing craft. A quarter of CMOs/VPs of marketing have deep domain expertise, whether in an industry or other specialization ranging from high tech, health care, consumer packaged goods, or financial services. A marketing executive with deep domain expertise understands the target customer extremely well, including how best to market the company’s solutions to that target market. Rounding out the balance, 15 percent have strategic or analytic backgrounds, 13 percent come from sales and 14 percent have cross-functional backgrounds. Source: Getting to the Top: Strategies for Career Success by Kathryn Ullrich (2010: Silicon Valley Press).
Ullrich analyzed hundreds of resumes in her search database to categorize the backgrounds of executives reaching chief marketing officer or VP of marketing titles. Her database skews toward high technology companies and contains both marketing executives from major corporations as well as start-ups. About a quarter of CMOs/VPs of marketing have deep domain expertise in areas such as health care, high tech, consumer packaged goods, financial services and mobile applications. “A marketing executive with deep domain expertise understands the target customer extremely well, including how best to market the company’s solutions to that target market,” she says.
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
