Is the ‘Chief Growth Officer’ replacing the CMO: Lauren Stiebing, LS International

Lauren Stiebing is the Founder and CEO of LS International. The company provides executive search and talent services to leading FMCG and CPG companies worldwide. As a seasoned recruitment specialist, Stiebing also supports FMCG firms in hiring CEOs, CCOs, and CMOs. In a recent LinkedIn post titled ‘Is the Chief Growth Officer Replacing the CMO?’, she shared her insights on the evolving landscape of marketing leadership. The following excerpt is reproduced from her original LinkedIn post.

The Chief Marketing Officer is quietly being replaced.

Not by a person but by a mindset.

Over the past 12 months, we’ve seen a growing trend in FMCG. According to a recent Financial Times piece, we’re witnessing a real shift at the top of global FMCG org charts and it’s not just a title change.

• At Mars, former CMO Andrew Clarke now carries the title Chief Growth Officer, a role that spans marketing, digital, commercial, and strategic growth functions.
• At Unilever, the language is changing too: what used to be classic “Marketing” is being reframed through a growth and impact lens, with Chief Business Officers and Global Growth titles creeping into the C-suite.

This isn’t just a branding exercise.

It’s a signal.

Boards are no longer satisfied with functional marketing leadership.

They want someone who can drive growth — across DTC, digital, data, innovation, and commercial execution — not just oversee brand campaigns.

In retained search, this shift is changing the mandate entirely. Clients aren’t asking me for “a strong CMO.”

They’re asking:

→ Who’s already owned a P&L?

→ Who can build bridges between data science, brand equity, and retail revenue?

→ Who understands how to win when loyalty is low, attention is fragmented, and every product launch needs velocity from day one?

The new reality is:

Marketing, in its traditional form, is being absorbed into Growth.

And if your org chart hasn’t adapted yet your competitors' probably has.

What do you think; is this a smart evolution of the role, or are companies losing critical marketing expertise under the pressure of performance?