By Seth Matlins Managing Director, Forbes CMO Network
One year ago, and to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs list, we created The Forbes CMO Hall of Fame, recognizing those chief marketers who have appeared, or would have, on the list at least five times since its inception. Each subsequent year, on what would be the fifth year of a CMO’s inclusion on the list, they too, will become part of The Forbes CMO Hall of Fame.
In 2022, the inaugural year, we inducted 17 CMOs, all titans of this community whose influence is measured in terms both qualitative and quantitative.
Induction recognizes a chief-marketer’s enduring influence and impact on the brands and businesses they steward, on our industry and, often, the cultural landscape itself.
In 2023, only one CMO was eligible for induction, having appeared previously 4 times. While past performance is no guarantee of present or future performance, we are honored to recognize and induct Morgan Flatley, EVP, Global Chief Marketing Officer, and Head of New Business Ventures at McDonald’s, into the Forbes CMO Hall of Fame 2023 Class.
For more on this year’s inductee and all of last year’s, please read on. We are grateful for their innumerable contributions to our community and the art and science of marketing.
Forbes CMO Hall of Fame: Class of 2023
Morgan-Flatley
Morgan Flatley
EVP, Global Chief Marketing Officer & Head of New Business Ventures: McDonald’s
Since joining McDonald’s in 2017, Flatley has been the driving force behind some of the company’s most inspired marketing campaigns. In 2020, as U.S. Chief Marketing & Digital Customer Experience Officer, she led initiatives including the company’s “Fan Truths” strategy and its record-breaking “Famous Orders” collaborations, which resulted in dozens of creative excellence awards. Shortly before this story went to press, and for the second consecutive year, McDonald’s was recognized as one of the top 3 most effective marketers worldwide by the Effies, the industry’s standard for same.
Today, Flatley oversees McDonald’s marketing efforts globally, as well as new business ventures designed to extend the reach of the McDonald’s brand. Her tenure at McDonald’s followed nearly 13 years at PepsiCo, where her time included stints as both Gatorade’s CMO and CMO of the company’s Global Nutrition group. 2023 marks what would have been Flatley’s fifth year on the Forbes World’ Most Influential CMOs list, and thus her induction into the Forbes CMO Hall of Fame class of 2023. She is this year’s only inductee.
Forbes CMO Hall of Fame: Class of 2022
leslie-berland
Leslie Berland
CMO: Peloton Interactive
Named CMO of Peloton in January, after six years as he CMO of Twitter, Berland first appeared on the Forbes World’ Most Influential CMOs list in 2017 and did each year following until her induction into the CMO Hall of Fame in 2022. Prior to her tenure as Twitter’s CMO, she was EVP of global advertising, marketing, and digital partnerships at American Express.
linda-boff
Linda Boff
Global Chief Marketing and Communications Officer: GE
At GE for over 20 years, Boff has served as the company’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer since 2015, with oversight over GE’s global marketing, brand, content, digital, and sponsorships, during a time of historic transformation for the company. Boff also serves as President of the GE foundation, manages GE’s global learning, and co-leads the GE Women’s Network. She first appeared on the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs list in 2017.
chris-caposella
Chris Capossela
CMO: Microsoft
At Microsoft for over 30 years, Capossela has been CMO of both the consumer and commercial sides of the nearly $200 billion annual revenue business for the past 9 years. His oversight and influence extends across all Microsoft services and products, business planning, brand, advertising, events, communications, research, ad sales and Microsoft stores. He first appeared on this Forbes list in 2017.
olivier-francois
Olivier Francois
Global CMO, Stellantis & Brand CEO: Fiat
For the past 15 years, Francois has been Global CMO of Stellantis, with oversight across its brand portfolio, which includes, among others, Dodge, Fiat and Maserati. He has also been the Global President of the Fiat Group since 2011. The long-time automotive marketer first appeared on this list in 2014.
julia-goldin
Julia Goldin
Global Chief Product & Marketing Officer: The Lego Group
The Global Chief Product and Marketing Officer for The Lego Group since 2015, this former Coca-Cola marketer and Revlon CMO is responsible for the Group’s product development, marketing, research and insights, licensing, partnerships, and the brand’s in-house creative agency. She first appeared on this list in 2018.
kristin-lemkau
Kristin Lemkau
Chief Executive Officer: J.P. Morgan Wealth Management
Lemkau first appeared on the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs list in 2014, when she was CMO of JPMorgan. She held this title until 2019, where she led a global marketing team responsible for brand, media, analytics, and consumer communications. One of few CMOs to become chief executive, she has been CEO of J.P. Morgan Wealth Management for the past 3 1/2 years.
ann-lewnes
Ann Lewnes
(Retired) Formerly CMO and EVP, Corporate Strategy & Development: Adobe
For over a decade, Lewnes was Adobe’s CMO, driving the brand’s ties to creativity, the creative community, and its digital marketing and design. Joining Adobe from Intel in 2006, she pioneered the company’s digital shift and spearheaded its growth. She first appeared on this list in 2017 and retired in February 2023.
antonio-lucio
Antonio Lucio
Principal & Founder: 5S Diversity
The principal and founder of 5S Diversity, Lucio held Global CMO roles for Facebook, HP Inc., and Visa, as well as the role of Chief Innovation and Portfolio Transformation Officer for PepsiCo Inc. He first appeared on Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs list in 2012, when he was CMO of Visa. He has appeared on the list as the CMO of each of three different companies.
michelle-peluso
Michelle Peluso
EVP & Chief Customer Officer, CVS Health & Co-President: CVS Pharmacy
Peluso joined CVS in 2021 and has been responsible for transforming CVS Health’s consumer experience across multiple touchpoints. She first appeared on Forbes’ World’s Most Influential CMOs list in 2012, when she was CMO for Citigroup. While there, she oversaw all global marketing and brand experiences, digital sales, and the commercial business. She has appeared on this list as the CMO of both Citi and IBM.
marc-pritchard
Marc Pritchard
Chief Brand Officer: Procter & Gamble
Pritchard has been with Procter & Gamble for over 40 years, serving across the company. He has been P&G’s Chief Brand Officer since 2014, responsible for the company’s brand-building disciplines and marketing innovations worldwide. He first appeared on the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs list in 2013.
raja-rajamannar
Raja Rajamannar
Chief Marketing & Communication’s Officer: MasterCard
Since 2013, Rajamannar has been MasterCard’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, and President of its Healthcare business. In this role, he is responsible for all aspects of the brand’s marketing, and has been a leader of its transformation. Rajamannar previously had stints at Citi, Diner’s Club and Unilever. He first appeared on Forbes’ World’s Most Influential CMOs list in 2015.
phil-schiller
Phil Schiller
Apple Fellow: Apple
At Apple for over 30 years, Schiller was the company’s long-time SVP of Marketing, where he led the introduction of a portfolio of products that have since become cultural touchstones. He currently serves as an Apple Fellow, where he has responsibility for the App store and Apple Events. When the first Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs List debuted in 2012, Schiller ranked No. 1.
diego-scotti
Diego Scotti
Formerly EVP & CMO: Verizon
Recently announcing his departure from the company, the former EVP and CMO, Scotti had been with Verizon since 2014, overseeing all aspects of the brand’s marketing, experience design and communications. He joined Verizon from J. Crew, where he’d also served as CMO. He first appeared on this list in 2017.
marisa-thalberg
Marisa Thalberg
Chief Marketing and Communications Officer: SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
Joining SeaWorld in April 2023, Thalberg is responsible for brand and marketing strategies that increase visitation, drive revenue, and elevate the company’s conservation mission. Before SeaWorld, Thalberg was EVP, Chief Brand Marketing Officer for Lowe’s from 2020. She also served as Global Chief Brand Officer for Taco Bell, for almost five years. She has been recognized on this list for her work as CMO at both Lowe’s and Taco Bell, first appearing on it in 2017.
lorraine-twohill
Lorraine Twohill
CMO: Google
Recently celebrating her 19th year with the company, Twohill has been Google’s CMO since 2009, and came to the position after six years as the company’s head of EMEA marketing. She currently manages a global team responsible for telling the evolving story of Google’s brand, driving revenue growth, and helping billions of users discover and make the most of Google’s products. She first appeared on Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs list in 2014.
deborah-wahl
Deborah Wahl
(Retired) Formerly Global CMO: General Motors
Wahl stepped down from her tenure as General Motors’ Global CMO, in March 2023, a position she held since 2019. Prior to GM where her focus included driving transformation and growth as GM embraced the possibilities of an all-electric future. She had previously served as Cadillac’s Global CMO, joining the automotive company from McDonald’s, where she had been its CMO. She first appeared on Forbes’ World’s Most Influential CMOs list in 2018, as CMO of Cadillac.
keith-weed
Keith Weed
Independent Director
Weed was Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Unilever from 2010-19, where he was responsible for Marketing, Communications and Sustainable Business functions across the company’s purpose-driven brand portfolio. He first appeared on the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs list in 2013, its second year.
MORE FROM FORBES
