www.productmarketingalliance.com
Open in
urlscan Pro
2a04:4e42::775
Public Scan
Submitted URL: https://djpw8r04.eu1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/I9+113/djpW8r04/VV-bWg2HnCPdW7LwKL4301HMTW6fpr4J5nWsbsN5ZDtSH5nXHsW50kH_H6lZ3lYW5jwGyP4GKf8d...
Effective URL: https://www.productmarketingalliance.com/the-growing-trend-of-pmms-reporting-directly-to-the-ceo/?utm_campaign=NL%20-%20Performance&utm_m...
Submission: On November 28 via api from ZA — Scanned from DE
Effective URL: https://www.productmarketingalliance.com/the-growing-trend-of-pmms-reporting-directly-to-the-ceo/?utm_campaign=NL%20-%20Performance&utm_m...
Submission: On November 28 via api from ZA — Scanned from DE
Form analysis 1 forms found in the DOM
<form data-members-form="subscribe" ps-dynamic-form-id="bd8003e0-4a04-449b-b2ec-cde0a9e966de">
<input data-members-label="" type="hidden" value="Early Adopters">
<input placeholder="Your email address" data-members-email="" type="email" required="true" ps-email-field-id="21045877-7d77-485e-9064-0598aca07768">
<button type="submit" ps-submit-button-id="15735a9d-4426-44c2-b27b-e95ace981dd4">Subscribe</button>
<p class="error-message">Ops! Something went wrong!</p>
</form>Text Content
×
THE ALLIANCE PRIVACY & COOKIE CONTROLS
The Alliance and 24 selected third parties use cookies or similar technologies
for technical purposes and, with your consent, for functionality, experience,
measurement and “marketing (personalized ads)” as specified in the cookie
policy.
With respect to advertising, we and 917 selected third parties, may use precise
geolocation data, and identification through device scanning in order to store
and/or access information on a device and process personal data like your usage
data for the following advertising purposes: personalised advertising and
content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services
development.
You can freely give, deny, or withdraw your consent at any time by accessing the
preferences panel. If you give consent, it will be valid only in this domain.
Denying consent may make related features unavailable.
Use the “Accept all” button to consent. Use the “Reject” button or close this
notice to continue without accepting.
Necessary
Functionality
Experience
Measurement
Marketing
Press again to continue 0/1
Learn more
RejectAccept all
Log in Membership
INDIVIDUAL
TEAMS
Membership
PRO MEMBERSHIP
All you need to succeed
BECOME A PRO MEMBER
BECOME A PRO+ MEMBER
YOUR PRO TASTER PACK
EXEC+ MEMBERSHIP
For product marketing leaders
BECOME AN EXEC+ MEMBER
YOUR EXEC+ TASTER PACK
TEAM MEMBERSHIP
Level up your product marketing team
GET A TEAM MEMBERSHIP
WHY PICK PMA?
See what our members say
MEMBERSHIP REVIEWS
MEMBERSHIP CASE STUDIES
SAMPLE WHAT’S INSIDE
GET FREEMIUM MEMBERSHIP
TEMPLATES FOR SUCCESS
Resources
CONTENT HUB
Unlimited resources on tap
ARTICLES
PRESENTATIONS
EBOOKS
GUIDES
PODCASTS
REPORTS
WEBINARS
VIEW ALL RESOURCES
RESEARCH & REPORTS
Industry insights from us
PRODUCT MARKETING SALARY REPORT
STATE OF PRODUCT MARKETING
STATE OF PRODUCT MARKETING LEADERSHIP
STATE OF GO-TO-MARKET
PRODUCT MARKETING TOOLS OF CHOICE
TOP 100 PRODUCT MARKETING INFLUENCERS
VIEW ALL REPORTS
GUIDES
Brush up on the essentials
WHAT IS PRODUCT MARKETING?
PRODUCT MARKETING FRAMEWORK
COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE
PRICING
OKRS
POSITIONING
GO-TO-MARKET
VIEW ALL GUIDES
BEST OF THE REST
Highlights from the site
PMM-GPT
PMM IQ TEST
PRODUCT MARKETING LEADERSHIP PORTAL
NEWSLETTER
PRODUCT MARKETING BOOKS
PRODUCT MARKETING TECH STACK
SALARY CALCULATOR
CREATE AND CONTRIBUTE
Certification
PRODUCT MARKETING CORE
The A to Z of product marketing essentials
PMMC - Level 1
PRODUCT MARKETING CERTIFIED: CORE
On-demand
LIVE & ONLINE
Part-time or full-time
LIVE & IN-PERSON
Pick your city
B2C PRODUCT MARKETING CERTIFIED
CUSTOMER MARKETING CERTIFIED
PRODUCT-LED GROWTH CERTIFIED
VIEW ALL CORE
PRODUCT MARKETING CERTIFIED: ADVANCED
Establish your influence and strategic value
PMMC II - Level 2
PRODUCT MARKETING CERTIFIED: ADVANCED
On-demand
MESSAGING CERTIFIED
NARRATIVE DESIGN CERTIFIED
POSITIONING CERTIFIED
PRICING CERTIFIED
GO-TO-MARKET CERTIFIED
ALL PRODUCT MARKETING MASTERS
PRODUCT MARKETING CERTIFIED: LEADERSHIP
The ultimate roadmap for product marketing leaders
PMMC III - Level 3
PRODUCT MARKETING CERTIFIED: LEADERSHIP
On-demand
PRODUCT MARKETING LEADERSHIP ACCELERATOR
Live & online
ALL PRODUCT MARKETING COURSES
PRODUCT MARKETING TRAINING
Individual & org-wide options
TEAM TRAINING
SCHOLAR PROGRAM
CERTIFICATION JOURNEY
WHY PMMS ❤️ PMMC
Events
VIRTUAL EVENTS & MEETUPS
Connecting our global community
PRODUCT DEMOS SUMMIT | DECEMBER 10
PMM TALKS
Knowledge worth knowing
PMM MEETUPS
City chapters
PMM NOW
Exclusive live streams
IN-PERSON SUMMITS
Coming to a city near you
PMM SUMMIT | CHICAGO | NOVEMBER 13 & 14
PMM SUMMIT | TORONTO | NOVEMBER 20 & 21
PMM SUMMIT | LONDON | DECEMBER 4 & 5
PMM SUMMIT | WASHINGTON | JANUARY 30
PMM SUMMIT | AUSTIN | FEBRUARY 11 & 12
PMM SUMMIT | NEW YORK | MARCH 13 & 14
PMM SUMMIT | PARIS | MARCH 26
SUMMIT CALENDAR 2024
QUICK LINKS & ONDEMAND
Plan ahead or catch up
CATCH UP ONDEMAND
APPLY TO SPEAK
ALL EVENTS
ALL COURSES
About
THE BASICS
Our journey & how to reach us
MISSION
CONTACT
PARTNER WITH US
PRESS RESOURCES
CASE STUDIES
HELP CENTRE
OUR PEOPLE
AKA the building blocks of PMA
PMA TEAM
EXPERTS IN RESIDENCE
PMA FOUNDING MEMBERS
CAREERS
GET INVOLVED
Get your name published
GET THE MEDIA GUIDE
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
PMA PULSE
CREATE & CONTRIBUTE
QUICK LINKS
Our bread & butter
SLACK COMMUNITY
PMA CONSULT
GET CERTIFIED
MEMBERSHIP
PRODUCT MARKETING FRAMEWORK
ARTICLES
ALL REPORTS
Jobs
Community
NETWORK
Connect and collaborate
SLACK COMMUNITY
MEET THE AMBASSADORS
MEETUPS
PMA LINKEDIN
LEARN
Level up your career
BECOME AN AMBASSADOR
PRODUCT MARKETING AWARDS 2024 | NOMINATIONS
PRODUCT MARKETING AWARDS 2023 | WINNERS
PMA CUSTOMER ADVISORY BOARD
What's new?
1
Content Hub > Leadership > Startup
The growing trend of PMMs reporting directly to the CEO
THE GROWING TREND OF PMMS REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE CEO
Team Leadership
Charley is the Content Lead at Product Marketing Alliance. She has a passion for
creating new content for the community. She's always open to new ideas, so would
love to hear from you!
Charley GaleCharley is the Content Lead at Product Marketing Alliance. She has a
passion for creating new content for the community. She's always open to new
ideas, so would love to hear from you!
October 31, 2024 7 min read
Get a copy
Follow us on LinkedIn Contents
1. Why the CEO reporting structure is significant
2. Potential benefits and challenges of reporting directly to the CEO
1. Benefit one: Faster decision-making
2. Benefit two: Enhanced cross-functional collaboration
3. Challenge one: Risk of resource constraints
4. Challenge two: Balancing tactical vs. strategic focus
3. What this trend means for the future of product marketing
1. Changing skill sets
2. Growing strategic recognition
3. Implications for larger companies
4. Long-term industry impact
5. Organizational evolution
4. How product marketers can leverage CEO-level visibility for strategic impact
1. Communicating with leadership
2. Setting a strategic agenda
3. Fostering a customer-centric culture
5. Final thoughts
In the State of Product Marketing 2024 report, we found that 5.8% of product
marketers report directly to the CEO. This is an intriguing statistic,
especially as it likely reflects a trend where product marketing is gaining
strategic visibility.
This reporting structure can imply that companies, especially startups or
smaller organizations, increasingly recognize the value of product marketing in
shaping product strategy, go-to-market planning, and even company vision.
This shift could also indicate that product marketing is becoming a more central
driver in aligning product development with market needs and competitive
positioning.
In this article, we’ll explore why the CEO reporting structure is so significant
to product marketing, as well as:
* Benefits and challenges of reporting directly to the CEO
* What this trend means for the future of product marketing
* How product marketers can leverage CEO-level visibility for strategic impact
WHY THE CEO REPORTING STRUCTURE IS SIGNIFICANT
Having product marketing leaders report to the CEO isn't just an org chart
decision – it's a game-changer for strategic influence. When these leaders have
a direct line to the CEO, they're better positioned to help shape where the
company is headed and how products evolve in the market.
This setup does more than just boost the visibility of product marketing; it
gives them real clout when working with different teams across the company,
making it easier to drive decisions on everything from product launches to
customer engagement.
It's especially powerful in startups and smaller companies, where being nimble
is very important. Many startups will have a flat structure with fewer middle
management roles, increasing visibility and access to senior leadership.
With a seat at the leadership table, product marketers can turn their market
insights into meaningful business moves without getting caught in layers of
corporate bureaucracy.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE CEO
BENEFIT ONE: FASTER DECISION-MAKING
Direct access to the CEO enables product marketers to secure rapid buy-in on
critical positioning and go-to-market strategies, significantly streamlining the
approval process.
When market conditions shift, campaigns and messaging can be adjusted swiftly
without navigating multiple layers of management approval.
This direct line of communication allows for rapid response to competitive
threats, as decisions aren't delayed by middle management bottlenecks.
With the CEO having immediate visibility into market feedback, the organization
can pivot product strategy and direction more quickly, keeping the company agile
and responsive to market demands.
BENEFIT TWO: ENHANCED CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION
When product marketing reports to the CEO, the role carries significantly more
authority in cross-functional meetings, making it easier to drive alignment and
cooperation across departments.
This positioning makes it more effective to align the product roadmap with
market needs, as recommendations carry the implicit backing of the CEO's office.
The structure enables product marketing to influence sales strategy and
priorities more effectively, ensuring market insights directly shape
revenue-generating activities.
It becomes easier to maintain consistent messaging across all departments when
directives come from a position of executive authority.
Perhaps most importantly, this reporting structure creates a stronger platform
for advocating customer needs at the executive level, ensuring voice-of-customer
insights directly influence company strategy.
CHALLENGE ONE: RISK OF RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS
In a direct-to-CEO reporting structure, product marketing often finds itself
competing with other strategic initiatives for limited budget and headcount
resources.
The CEO's necessarily broad focus means less dedicated time for marketing
guidance and mentorship, potentially leaving product marketers without detailed
direction.
There's often an expectation to deliver enterprise-level impact while working
with startup-level resources, creating a challenging mismatch between
expectations and capabilities.
Smaller companies particularly struggle with building out specialized teams for
content, design, and other critical marketing functions. The absence of a middle
management layer can also mean a limited support structure for managing
day-to-day operations effectively.
CHALLENGE TWO: BALANCING TACTICAL VS. STRATEGIC FOCUS
CEOs typically expect high-level strategic thinking and contributions to company
direction, while the fundamental tactical execution of marketing still requires
significant attention and resources.
Product marketers often find themselves pulled into numerous executive
initiatives that, while important, can distract from core marketing
responsibilities and deliverables.
There's constant pressure to demonstrate quick wins and immediate impact while
simultaneously building a sustainable long-term marketing foundation. Managing
both CEO-level strategic projects and routine marketing operations becomes a
complex juggling act.
This challenge is particularly acute when there's limited team size or no team
at all, making it difficult to delegate tactical work while focusing on
strategic initiatives that the CEO prioritizes.
WHAT THIS TREND MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF PRODUCT MARKETING
CHANGING SKILL SETS
As product marketing increasingly reports to CEOs, the required skill set is
evolving beyond traditional marketing capabilities. Product marketers now need
strong business acumen, advanced analytical skills, and executive-level
communication abilities.
They must effectively translate market insights into business strategy, lead
cross-functional initiatives, and influence key stakeholders without direct
authority. The emphasis is shifting from purely marketing expertise to a blend
of strategic thinking, data analysis, and leadership capabilities.
GROWING STRATEGIC RECOGNITION
The trend of product marketing reporting to CEOs reflects its growing strategic
importance within organizations. More companies are likely to elevate product
marketing to an executive-level function, recognizing its crucial role in
competitive advantage.
This shift will likely impact compensation structures, with product marketing
roles commanding higher salaries and equity packages. The position may
increasingly be viewed as a stepping stone to general management and CEO roles,
given its broad business exposure and market orientation.
IMPLICATIONS FOR LARGER COMPANIES
Large enterprises are beginning to recognize the value of having product
marketing closer to executive decision-making. Many may adopt hybrid models
where product marketing maintains a dotted line to the CEO while preserving
functional relationships.
This could spawn new executive positions like Chief Marketing Officer or lead to
segmented product marketing functions, with strategic initiatives reporting to
the CEO while tactical execution remains within traditional marketing
structures.
LONG-TERM INDUSTRY IMPACT
The structural shift will likely lead to tighter integration between product
strategy and market insights. Companies may build dedicated market intelligence
teams under product marketing leadership, acknowledging the value of centralized
market insights in driving strategy.
Educational programs will likely adapt to prepare future product marketers for
these elevated responsibilities, incorporating more business strategy and
leadership training.
ORGANIZATIONAL EVOLUTION
This trend represents a broader shift toward market-oriented organizational
structures. Traditional hierarchies are evolving to prioritize market insight
and customer understanding in decision-making.
Companies may increasingly organize around market opportunities rather than
product lines, with product marketing playing a central role in identifying and
capitalizing on these opportunities.
This could result in more fluid organizational structures where market insight
drives company strategy rather than just supporting it.
HOW PRODUCT MARKETERS CAN LEVERAGE CEO-LEVEL VISIBILITY FOR STRATEGIC IMPACT
Product marketers often have a unique vantage point within the company, as they
are responsible for understanding customer needs, competitive dynamics, and
industry trends.
By establishing themselves as key players with CEO-level visibility, product
marketers can elevate their role beyond tactical execution and drive long-term,
strategic value.
COMMUNICATING WITH LEADERSHIP
Be concise and data-driven: Above all, executives value brevity and actionable
information. Product marketers should provide concise summaries of key data
points, customer insights, or competitive moves, accompanied by recommended
actions.
Know the CEO’s priorities: By understanding the CEO’s current focus areas (e.g.,
expanding into new markets, improving customer satisfaction, increasing
retention), product marketers can tailor their communication to emphasize how
their insights align with these priorities.
Storytelling and use of real customer examples: Framing data within compelling
stories, using real customer anecdotes, or presenting case studies can make
market insights more relatable and memorable for the CEO and other senior
leaders.
Engage in regular updates: Routine briefings can be more effective than sporadic
updates. Regular updates, whether monthly or quarterly, help product marketers
stay top-of-mind and build a narrative that senior leaders can track over time.
SETTING A STRATEGIC AGENDA
Map to corporate objectives: Before setting an agenda, product marketers should
align their priorities with corporate objectives, whether it’s revenue growth,
market expansion, innovation, or customer retention. By mapping each initiative
to these goals, they can ensure relevance to the broader strategy.
Identify high-impact initiatives: Not all projects will equally impact the
company’s objectives. Product marketers should prioritize initiatives that have
the greatest potential for strategic impact, such as launching high-demand
product features, entering a new market segment, or improving customer retention
through targeted product updates.
Gain leadership buy-in early: Early buy-in from leadership ensures that the
product marketing agenda has support from the top. Presenting a high-level
roadmap or strategic priorities to executives and incorporating their feedback
can help secure endorsement.
Build flexibility for emerging trends: A strategic agenda should be both focused
and adaptable. Product marketers can improve relevance by leaving room to
respond to emerging market shifts, competitive moves, or unexpected customer
needs.
FOSTERING A CUSTOMER-CENTRIC CULTURE
Lead with customer insights: Product marketers can create visibility for
customer feedback and market data across teams.
Regularly sharing insights with departments like sales, engineering, and
customer support helps each team understand the customer perspective, making it
easier to align around customer needs.
Champion the voice of the customer: Product marketers are well-positioned to
bring the “voice of the customer” into strategic discussions. They can advocate
for product features, messaging, or policies based on direct customer feedback,
highlighting how these changes improve customer experience.
Create cross-functional customer-centric initiatives: Partnering with other
teams to address customer pain points creates shared accountability.
For instance, collaborating with product teams to develop solutions for commonly
reported issues or with customer success teams to enhance onboarding processes
can yield significant gains in customer satisfaction.
Measure and reward customer success: Product marketers can help shape company
metrics to reflect customer-centric values, like Net Promoter Score (NPS) or
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). By promoting these metrics and celebrating wins
tied to customer impact, they reinforce a company-focused mindset.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While 5.8% might seem like a small percentage, its significance should not be
underestimated.
The fact that nearly 6% of product marketers report directly to the CEO in 2024
signals a subtle yet important shift in how companies, especially agile startups
and smaller businesses, view the role of product marketing.
This reporting structure isn’t just about hierarchy; it’s about positioning
product marketers to have a strategic voice at the highest level, influencing
product direction, market positioning, and ultimately, company growth.
As companies face increasingly competitive markets and heightened customer
expectations, giving product marketing a direct line to the CEO could set the
stage for stronger product-market alignment and faster, more impactful
decision-making.
This trend hints at a future where more organizations might follow suit,
recognizing product marketing not just as a tactical asset but as a critical,
strategic driver of business success.
Product marketing insider
Thank you for subscribing
Level up your product marketing career & network with product marketing experts.
An email has been successfully sent to confirm your subscription.
Subscribe
Ops! Something went wrong!
Follow us on LinkedIn
Tags
Team Leadership
RELATED
Startup
See all Startup
Startup Sponsored
THE BEST STARTUP MARKETING ADVICE I GOT AT AN F500 COMPANY
May 20, 20245 min
Startup Sponsored
ACHIEVING PRODUCT MARKET FIT FOR STARTUPS: FROM 20 PRODUCT MARKETING EXPERTS
March 21, 202417 min
Startup Sponsored
BUILDING A PRODUCT MARKETING ORG AT A HYPER-GROWTH STARTUP
March 14, 20246 min
Startup Sponsored
6 TOP TIPS FOR THE STARTUP PMM
January 17, 20245 min
Startup Sponsored
THE GROWING TREND OF PMMS REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE CEO
October 31, 2024 7 mins
The growing trend of PMMs reporting directly to the CEO
Share:
Copied!
Product Marketing Alliance was founded in February 2019 with a mission of
uniting product marketers across the globe. And it did just that.
Let’s elevate product marketing together.
ABOUT
* Contribute
* Media Guide
* Ambassadors
* Privacy Policy
* Terms of Service
* Help Centre
RESOURCES
* Podcasts
* Reports
* Product marketing tools
* AMAs
GENERAL
* Product Marketing Certification
* Events
* Membership
* Community
Learn
Product marketing Positioning & messaging Customer & market research OKRs
Personas Go-to-market Sales enablement Competitor analysis
English
* Русский
* Português
* Nederlands
* Italiano
* 日本語
* Español
* 中文 (简体)
* Français
* Deutsch
* Português Brasileiro