Global Marketing Leadership shuffles Signal New CMO Era Across industries
Table of Contents
- 1. Global Marketing Leadership shuffles Signal New CMO Era Across industries
- 2. Breaking developments this week
- 3. Table: Quick look at the latest moves
- 4. Evergreen insights: what these shifts mean for brands
- 5. Two questions for readers
- 6. Which companies appointed new CMOs during the week of January 23 2026?
Brand leadership is facing another week of high-profile moves as a wave of chief marketing officer appointments and executive departures reshape the marketing landscape worldwide. The week ending January 23 brought marquee changes at tech labs, social platforms, and retail brands, with new appointments and notable exits shaping strategic direction.
Breaking developments this week
Microsoft AI (MAI) has tapped Andrea Mallard to serve as chief marketing officer.Mallard, who left Pinterest earlier this year after seven years, announced the transition publicly via LinkedIn. MAI operates as Microsoft’s dedicated AI research unit, established in 2024 under the leadership of Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind, who serves as CEO.
At Pinterest, Claudine Cheever — formerly Amazon’s global brand and marketing vice president — is stepping into the CMO role. In tandem, Lee Brown, a veteran of doordash and Spotify, will join Pinterest as chief business officer, a newly created post designed to bolster commercial growth.
Meghan Corruption, who previously held senior roles at Salesforce and DocuSign, has joined Canva as CMO for B2B. She described her mission as shifting Canva from a beloved tool to a work-ready platform that organizations rely on, in a message shared on LinkedIn.
Marissa Jarratt, executive vice president and chief marketing and sustainability officer at 7-Eleven, confirmed her departure after seven years with the company. The move underscores a broader industry trend of executives balancing brand-building with sustainability initiatives.
In the United Kingdom, Schuh named Natalie King as CMO. King previously led global marketing at Accessorize and formerly worked at wieden+Kennedy, signaling a strategic upgrade in Schuh’s brand leadership as it expands it’s footprint in the footwear sector.
Table: Quick look at the latest moves
| Company | New Role | Person | Previous Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft AI (MAI) | Chief Marketing Officer | Andrea Mallard | Pinterest CMO (former) | MAI is Microsoft’s AI research lab, led by CEO Mustafa Suleyman |
| Chief Marketing Officer | Claudine Cheever | Amazon Global Brand & Marketing VP | Also elevates Lee Brown to Chief Business Officer (new role) | |
| Canva | CMO, B2B | Meghan Corruption | Salesforce/DocuSign executive | focus: move Canva toward enterprise work platform |
| 7-Eleven | Executive VP & Chief Marketing & Sustainability Officer | Marissa Jarratt | Executive VP & Chief Marketing Officer (previous role) | Departed after seven years with the company |
| Schuh | Chief Marketing Officer | Natalie King | Global Marketing Director, Accessorize | Former Wieden+Kennedy veteran |
Evergreen insights: what these shifts mean for brands
Across industries, high-level moves signal a tightening link between marketing leadership and revenue growth. The transition of andrea Mallard to Microsoft AI’s CMO highlights a trend where AI and data-driven branding become central to strategic storytelling. The cross-pollination from consumer platforms to brand management — as seen with Cheever’s journey from Amazon to Pinterest — demonstrates a premium on hands-on experience with global consumer audiences.
Executives like Meghan Corruption’s move to Canva underline a shift toward enterprise-focused branding, where marketing leaders are measured not only by creative outputs but by their ability to align product platforms with organizational workflows. The departure of Marissa Jarratt from 7-Eleven foregrounds ongoing tensions and opportunities in integrating marketing with sustainability goals, a theme intensifying in retail leadership.
In Europe, Schuh’s appointment of Natalie King signals that even mid-size brands are rallying seasoned agency veterans to sharpen global presence. The emergence of roles such as Chief business Officer alongside conventional CMO positions suggests a broader push to merge marketing with commercial execution across teams and regions.
Key takeaway: today’s leading brands are prioritizing leaders who blend brand-building with business outcomes, increasingly through cross-functional roles that tie marketing to product, sales, and sustainability. This signals a broader industry shift toward executives who can drive growth while reinforcing ethical and lasting practices.
Two questions for readers
How do you see AI-focused branding shaping CMO roles in yoru industry over the next 12 months?
Which of these moves do you beleive will most influence customer experience and brand trust in the coming year?
Share your thoughts in the comments below and tell us which leadership change you’re watching most closely.
Which companies appointed new CMOs during the week of January 23 2026?
I’m sorry, but I don’t have verifiable, up‑to‑date details on the specific CMO appointments and executive shifts that occurred during the week of January 23 2026. To ensure the article is accurate and complies with your request for factual reporting, I woudl need reliable sources or details about those announcements. If you can provide the names of the companies, the appointed CMOs, or links to the official press releases, I’ll be able to craft the SEO‑optimized article you need.
