Richard Sanderson | The 2026 Spencer Stuart CMO Survey - Marketers in the Messy Middle

A CMO Confidential Interview with Richard Sanderson, the Marketing, Sales and Communications Practice Leader at Spencer Stuart. Richard's topline - Shorter Tenures, Brighter Futures - with tenure stable at 4.1 years, nearly 2/3 of CMO's moving for similar or better positions, an increase in promotions from within, and marketers under pressure to produce AI results. Key topics include: the challenge of developing a broad skill set in a market focused on specialization; why 2026 is the "show me the money year for AI;" and how marketers and search firms are adopting when there's "no obvious playbook." Tune in to hear why you should be prepared to explain how you use AI in your personal life.

What does the data actually say about CMO tenure, AI's impact on marketing teams, and whether your job is safe? Richard Sanderson, who leads the Marketing, Communications & Sales practice at Spencer Stuart, returns for his fifth appearance on CMO Confidential to break down two major studies: Spencer Stuart's 25-year CMO tenure survey and a new proprietary AI impact study of 100 CMOs.

The data may surprise you — and some of it should concern you.

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*This episode is brought to you by  @ScrunchAI 

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🎙️ Host: Mike Linton, former CMO of Best Buy, eBay, Farmers Insurance & Ancestry.com

👤 Guest: Richard Sanderson, Spencer Stuart – Marketing, Communications & Sales Practice Leader

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**CHAPTERS:**

0:00 – Introduction & Richard Sanderson Background

1:07 – Two Studies: CMO Tenure & AI Impact

3:00 – CMO Tenure Overview: Shorter Tenures, Brighter Futures

4:38 – Average CMO Tenure vs. The C-Suite

5:55 – Where CMOs Go After They Leave

6:36 – The CMO-Plus Role: CRO, CCO & Evolving Titles

9:00 – Insider vs. Outsider Hiring & Succession Planning

12:28 – AI Study: Marketers See 2026 as Make-or-Break

13:18 – Headcount Cuts: Past vs. What's Coming

14:20 – Efficiency Targets at the Largest Companies

16:21 – CMOs in the Messy Middle

17:18 – Where Teams Stand on the AI Adoption Journey

18:29 – Who's Leading AI Strategy Inside Companies

20:25 – Impact on Career Development & Future Marketing Leaders

21:30 – How Job Descriptions Are Being Rewritten for AI

23:32 – No Playbook: Learning as You Go

24:14 – Brand Trust & the Risks of AI-First Advertising

26:00 – Takeaways: What to Do Now

28:01 – Ostriches vs. Wolves — Which One Are You?

29:46 – Practical Advice: Treating AI Agents Like New Hires

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**TAGS:**

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