• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?

2

New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers

3

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'

1

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?

2

New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers

3

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
NewslettersBroadsheet

CMOs’ waning influence in the C-suite is a setback for female executives

By
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
and
Joey Abrams
Joey Abrams
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
and
Joey Abrams
Joey Abrams
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 23, 2024, 8:52 AM ET
CMO jobs are being restructured and in some cases eliminated.
CMO jobs are being restructured and in some cases eliminated. Maskot—Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! The Biden-Harris administration marks the latest anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Nikki Haley goes up against Trump in New Hampshire, and CMOs are losing influence in the C-suite. Have a lovely Tuesday.

Recommended Video

– More than marketing. In 2022, women outnumbered men in chief marketing officer jobs for the first time, according to a study by Spencer Stuart. New hires were to thank for that milestone; women held 51% of all CMO jobs that year and represented 70% of new appointees.

But—as so often happens—it seems that women reached a milestone only to have the rug pulled out from under them. My Fortune colleague Phil Wahba has a new story about the waning influence of the CMO job in corporate C-suites. In December alone, UPS eliminated the CMO job; Etsy gave its CMO’s responsibilities to its COO; and Walgreens laid off CMO Linh Peters and spread out her job’s functions.

The end of the autonomous CMO role, at some companies, is part of a longtime trend. CMOs who once focused on marketing and advertising in print and TV now find themselves in tech-heavy jobs, driven by customer data, and needing the input of other C-suite executives focused on tech and operations. It’s no longer a role that can be handled by—or requires—one executive, companies seem to have decided.

It’s a bit of a paradox. During the pandemic, the ability of an executive “to tell the story of a company” became more valuable, whether those skills were in marketing or communications, Korn Ferry’s Jane Stevenson told me last year. A higher value placed on those skills began to open up opportunities, like CEO jobs and board seats, for marketing executives—many of them women—who once saw CMO as the highest they could go. Openness to new areas of expertise and non-CEO candidates has helped boards to diversify. Still, today less than 5% of Fortune 1000 companies have a marketer on their board of directors; those that do are consumer-facing brands including Best Buy, Mattel, and Nike, Phil found.

How these jobs are structured seems to be changing, yet it remains to be seen whether the evolution is permanent. As of today, 71% of the Fortune 500 still has a marketing chief, and some companies that cut the job may end up rethinking the decision. McDonald’s got rid of its global CMO role in 2019 but brought it back less than a year later.

Read more in Phil’s full story here.

Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
@_emmahinchliffe

The Broadsheet is Fortune’s newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. Today’s edition was curated by Joseph Abrams. Subscribe here.

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

- Another year without Roe. President Joe Biden announced new plans Monday—the date that would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade—to expand the availability of no-cost contraceptives and enforce a law that could force hospitals to provide emergency abortions in states that have banned or restricted them. Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off a reproductive rights tour in Wisconsin. Washington Post

- Last woman standing. Today's primary in New Hampshire will be a test for Nikki Haley, the last candidate standing against Donald Trump in the contest for the GOP presidential nomination. While Trump leads Haley in New Hampshire polls, anti-Trump Republican women have expressed relief at having another option besides the former president. Reuters

- AI in the family. Care.com founder Sheila Lirio Marcelo launched Ohai.ai, an AI-powered virtual assistant platform, on Monday. The new venture comes three years after Marcelo stepped down as CEO of Care.com and is designed to help families manage their schedules and assign familial duties. Axios

- Goin' solo. Solo travel is booming among older U.S. couples and travel companies say that the majority of those venturing out on their own are women. Some women say their significant others are either physically unable to travel or aren’t interested, while others are looking for post-retirement friendships and adventure. Wall Street Journal

- Major mistake. Kyte Baby CEO Ying Liu apologized twice on Friday to a former employee at the baby clothing company who was fired for requesting to work remotely while staying at a neonatal intensive care unit with her newborn. CNN

- C-suite scandal. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is reviewing more than 50 papers for possible research misconduct, including four that were coauthored by the treatment center’s president and CEO Dr. Laurie Glimcher. The former dean of Weill Cornell Medical College also serves as a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, which partners with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Glimcher has yet to comment on the situation. Wall Street Journal

ON MY RADAR

Stanley cups are not a feminist issue New Statesman

Coco Gauff is enjoying a very different kind of Grand Slam The Athletic

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Roe v. Wade wasn’t overturned by accident. Now we need to fight back Glamour

PARTING WORDS

“It’s not easy for anyone in this business, even though it looks easy for me.”

—Director Sofia Coppola in a New Yorker profile describing the difficulties of being a woman in the film industry, even with the advantage of a famous family

This is the web version of The Broadsheet, a daily newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.

About the Authors
Emma Hinchliffe
By Emma HinchliffeMost Powerful Women Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Emma Hinchliffe is Fortune’s Most Powerful Women editor, overseeing editorial for the longstanding franchise. As a senior writer at Fortune, Emma has covered women in business and gender-lens news across business, politics, and culture. She is the lead author of the Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter (formerly the Broadsheet), Fortune’s daily missive for and about the women leading the business world.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Joey AbramsAssociate Production Editor

Joey Abrams is the associate production editor at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Newsletters

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Newsletters

Greg Brockman on the week two OpenAI AI models went rogue
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Greg Brockman on the week two OpenAI AI models went rogue
By Allie GarfinkleJuly 28, 2026
3 hours ago
A Kirin 9000s chip fabricated in China by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC), taken from a Huawei Technologies Co. Mate 60 Pro smartphone, photographed on Sept. 3, 2023. (Photo: James Park/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
A Chinese firm has begun manufacturing chipmaking machines, putting ASML and the world on notice
By Andrew NuscaJuly 28, 2026
4 hours ago
Photo: CXMT logo.
NewslettersMarkets
China’s chipmakers trigger bloodbath in global tech stocks
By Jim EdwardsJuly 28, 2026
5 hours ago
‘The UAE has been a fantastic investor’: Jeff Zucker hails UAE partnership after Banijay merger
NewslettersFortune Gulf Brief
‘The UAE has been a fantastic investor’: Jeff Zucker hails UAE partnership after Banijay merger
By Melissa HancockJuly 28, 2026
5 hours ago
The Fortune Global 500 gets top-heavy—and more powerful than ever
NewslettersCEO Daily
The Fortune Global 500 gets top-heavy—and more powerful than ever
By Diane BradyJuly 28, 2026
6 hours ago
Amy Astley revived Architectural Digest. Now she’s betting on lived-in homes over ‘tech-bro bunkers’
NewslettersMPW Daily
Amy Astley revived Architectural Digest. Now she’s betting on lived-in homes over ‘tech-bro bunkers’
By Emma HinchliffeJuly 27, 2026
22 hours ago

Most Popular

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?
C-Suite
Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 27, 2026
23 hours ago
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
Retail
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
By Sarah GlodekJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
Success
A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
By Sydney LakeJuly 27, 2026
19 hours ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 27, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 27, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
Commentary
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
By Austin SaratJuly 26, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.