The Evolution of the CMO: From Brand Builder to Growth Leader
Marketing isn’t a cost center — it’s a value creator.
For decades, it was treated as a cost center—a department focused on aesthetics, promotion, and “making things pretty.” But today, marketing is being recognized for what it is: a strategic growth engine.
In the built environment—where long sales cycles, commoditized services, and relationship-driven deals are the norm—visibility isn’t enough. Marketing must build trust, not just awareness. It plays a critical role in helping firms differentiate, educate, and influence the decision-makers shaping billion-dollar projects. In this world, credibility opens doors—and marketing helps lay the groundwork.
Modern CMOs aren’t just brand builders. They’re growth leaders, business architects, and increasingly, contenders for roles like CRO and CEO.
And for good reason.
Marketing in the Built Environment: Breaking the Mold
Historically, marketing teams in AEC and real estate were tasked with RFP responses, brochures, and event support. Important work—but far from the strategic core of the business.
That old-school view ignored a fundamental truth:
Marketing sits at the intersection of customer insight, market intelligence, and commercial opportunity.
It understands what clients want, where the market is heading, and how to position the business to win.
The CMO Advantage: Growth Strategy Meets Market Reality
Today’s top CMOs are equal parts strategist, operator, and storyteller. In the built environment, that looks like:
Market Positioning: Spotting untapped opportunities in emerging sectors or verticals.
Client Engagement: Building lasting relationships through targeted content and a consistent brand experience.
Marketing ROI: Turning brand investments into measurable business impact.
Take Cushman & Wakefield, for example. Brad Kreiger was promoted to Co-CEO of the Americas after serving as Global CMO, where he led brand strategy, digital transformation, and client-centric innovation across the firm’s global footprint. But his elevation wasn’t just about marketing performance—it was about business leadership. Kreiger’s ability to align market insights with commercial strategy made him a key architect of the company’s growth agenda. His move to the top job reflects a broader shift: CMOs who build trust, position brands with purpose, and drive client value are increasingly seen as CEOs in waiting.
And it’s not just commercial real estate. Kristin Lemkau, former CMO of JPMorgan Chase, now leads JPMorgan Wealth Management—a $400B business. Her deep expertise in customer behavior and brand strategy made her a natural choice to guide one of the bank’s most dynamic divisions.
The message is clear: when marketing is viewed as a business accelerator, CMOs aren’t just ready to lead—they’re the logical choice.
Why CMOs Are Ready for the C-Suite
The modern CMO isn’t siloed. They’re fluent in the language of sales, operations, and finance. They bridge customer needs with business strategy. And they bring the kind of cross-functional leadership that today’s C-suites demand.
What makes them stand out?
Customer Centricity
They use data to influence product development, service delivery, and pricing.
Strategic Thinking
They see beyond campaigns and connect brand to business goals.
Adaptability
They navigate disruption—economic, technological, competitive—and stay focused on growth.
Especially in product-led businesses—like smart building tech or sustainable materials—CMOs play a critical role in turning innovation into market traction.
The Shift: Marketing as a Growth Engine
CMOs are challenging outdated perceptions of marketing as a cost center by demonstrating their impact on revenue and organizational effectiveness. Consider the following steps to amplify this shift:
Aligning KPIs: Ensure marketing metrics (like customer acquisition cost and lifetime value) directly tie to financial performance.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Foster partnerships with sales, operations, and finance to unify business goals.
Storytelling as Leadership: Use storytelling not just for external branding but to inspire internal alignment and vision.
Especially in product-led businesses—like smart building tech or sustainable materials—CMOs play a critical role in turning innovation into market traction.
Reframing the Role: Marketing as a Growth Engine
The best marketing teams aren’t chasing attention. They’re building revenue.
To keep elevating the role, CMOs must:
Align Metrics to the Business: Go beyond clicks and impressions. Tie marketing KPIs to CAC, CLTV, and pipeline velocity.
Drive Cross-Functional Integration: Break down silos and partner across sales, product, and finance.
Lead Through Storytelling: Internally and externally, marketing sets the vision. Own it.
Let Marketing Lead
The CMO’s evolution is more than a trend—it’s a business imperative.
If your company still sees marketing as support instead of strategy, you’re playing small.
Because the CMOs who know the market, drive the brand, and connect it all to revenue?
They’re not just ready to lead. They already have the reins.
