CMO Council
The CMO Council is a privately-held, peer-powered global network of 16,000+ senior marketing executives across 110 countries, offering tiered memberships, proprietary research, regional advisory boards, and events. Founded 2001, headquartered in San Jose, California.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersSan Jose, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CMO Council does
The CMO Council, founded in 2001 and headquartered in San Jose, California, is a privately-held, peer-powered global network serving 16,000+ senior marketing executives across 110 countries who collectively direct $1 trillion in marketing spend. The organization operates a tiered membership model (free Basic, paid Premium, Corporate, and Library Subscriptions) targeting CMOs, EVPs, SVPs, VPs, and Directors at the corporate, brand, division, or geographic level, and supplements membership with corporate sponsorships from large technology and consulting firms including KPMG, Adobe, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, IBM, Accenture, Zeta Global, and Frost & Sullivan. Its product surface is a content-and-community platform rather than a unified software product: over 300 proprietary research reports, the PeerSphere digital publication, the Marketing Magnified and Marketing Momentum newsletters, regional advisory boards across seven geographies, the CMO+ private mentorship community, events and webinars, and specialized programs such as the Marketing Transformation Audit, the Apex Martech Matrix framework, and research initiatives on AI in marketing and CMO strategic evolution. The Council is led by founder and Executive Director Donovan Neale-May, with a small staff of 11-50 employees, and runs a thought-leadership distribution model via its website, LinkedIn newsletter, and event programming rather than a technology platform with proprietary AI/ML, APIs, or integrations. Revenue is generated through membership subscriptions, corporate sponsorships, and a la carte report sales priced at $50 per report for non-members.
CMO Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CMO Council
- Legal name
- CMO Council
- Website
- https://cmocouncil.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The CMO Council is a privately-held, peer-powered global network of 16,000+ senior marketing executives across 110 countries, offering tiered memberships, proprietary research, regional advisory boards, and events. Founded 2001, headquartered in San Jose, California.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CMO Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Membership and Peer Networking
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (813920), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Services (8741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM)
Keywords
Where CMO Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Jose
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CMO Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Subscriptions: The CMO Council generates revenue through multi-tiered membership subscriptions including Basic Membership, Premium Membership, Corporate Membership, Library Subscription, and Academic/Affiliate programs. These provide recurring subscription revenue with tiered access to reports, events, webinars, and community features.
- Premium Reports and Research: Individual report purchases at $50 US per report for non-members, or included with premium membership and library subscriptions. This represents a transaction-based revenue stream for specialized industry research.
- Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate sponsors support the organization and gain access to the CMO Council's global network of marketing decision-makers with significant budget responsibility. Sponsors include major technology and marketing companies such as KPMG, Adobe, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, IBM, and others.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Basic Membership - Free entry-level access to the CMO Council community |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Membership - Full access to all reports, CMO+ community, and premium content |
| Subscription | Annual | Library Subscription - Unlimited access to all content for non-members |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Report Purchase - $50 US per report |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
CMO Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The CMO Council operates a global peer-powered membership network for Chief Marketing Officers and senior marketing executives, offering tiered memberships (Basic, Premium, Corporate, Library, and Academic/Affiliate), a library of 300+ proprietary research reports, digital publications and newsletters, a private CMO+ mentorship community, regional advisory boards, and live/virtual events. Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership subscriptions, corporate sponsorships (KPMG, Adobe, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, IBM, etc.), and individual report sales.
Product overview
CMO Council is a global professional networking organization for Chief Marketing Officers and senior marketing executives. It operates on a tiered membership model (Basic, Premium, Corporate, Library) and offers a portfolio of knowledge products including research reports, digital publications (PeerSphere), newsletters (Marketing Magnified, Marketing Momentum), and the CMO+ mentorship community. The organization provides regional advisory boards across seven geographic regions, hosts events and webinars, and offers specialized programs including the Marketing Transformation Audit, CMO at the Crossroads initiative, and Apex Martech Matrix framework. All offerings are delivered through a platform-plus-content architecture rather than a unified software product, combining community engagement, research access, and peer-powered learning.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Basic Membership Free entry-level membership tier providing access to the CMO Council network, basic resources, and community engagement opportunities for senior marketing professionals who demonstrate marketing prowess, a proven track record, and leadership in marketing innovation and digital transformation.
- Premium Membership Annual subscription tier offering full access to the 300+ report library, the CMO Council Insight Center, the private CMO+ mentorship community, executive summaries, and premium content for senior marketing leaders.
- Corporate Membership Enterprise-level membership tier designed for organizations seeking team-wide access for multiple marketing leaders within their company to CMO Council resources, research, events, and executive networking.
- Library Subscription Standalone annual subscription providing unlimited access to the 300+ reports, executive summaries, white papers, and the curated Insight Center content library for subscribers who do not want full membership.
- Academic and Affiliate Membership Membership tier for academic institutions, research organizations, and affiliate programs that want access to industry research, case studies, and practitioner insights.
- Individual Research Reports Specialized marketing research reports available for individual purchase at $50 US per report for non-members, covering marketing strategy, digital transformation, customer experience, MarTech, AI adoption, and industry-specific topics.
Quantifiable outcome
- Organizations integrating AI with human marketers are 3x more likely to achieve measurable ROI and significantly outperform peers in customer connection, creativity and speed
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CMO Council
Customer profileNamed customers23 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
CMO Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CMO Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and minor.
- Gain Relationship Partnership (Leading Customer Experience Advisory Firm)coreStrategic partnership with a leading customer experience advisory firm. The Relationship Partnership will provide CMO Council members with preferred access to intelligence, assessments, and insights to drive customer growth.
- Chief Marketer NetworkcoreThe CMO Council is partnering with the Chief Marketer Network to develop and deliver strategic insights, research, and relationship-building opportunities for global marketers in 2026. The partnership aims to address pressing issues such as digital marketing transformation, data-driven decisioning, and marketing spend optimization. The partnership recognizes the need to uplift, unify and align marketing ecosystems, data sources, and advertising/media partners.
- Wise Marketer GroupcoreMembers benefit from insightful, practitioner-based content as well as exclusive access and cost savings on educational opportunities and an extensive thought leadership content library.
- Integrated Marketing Council (IMC) of South AfricaregionalThe IMC of South Africa partnered with the global CMO Council to further marketing leader prowess and performance in Africa, providing regional market access and expertise.
- BrandtotalcoreStrategic marketing partnership provides members with new competitive brand intelligence data and actionable insights for creative, media, and brand marketing executives.
- Harvard Business School Association of Northern CaliforniacoreOver 8,000 alumni executives now able to tap CMO Council domain expertise, connections and content through cooperative knowledge sharing agreement.
- Frost & SullivancoreCMO Council and BPI Network team with Frost & Sullivan to deliver real-time transformational growth insights to business leaders through the New Growth Guidance Center.
- Australian Marketing InstituteregionalPartnership providing over 60,000 marketers with access to global thought leadership content from the CMO Council.
- NetLineminorPartnership expands distribution of thought leadership reports to 15,000 web publishing channels; adds precision targeting and reporting capability to maximize content ROI.
- MartechTribecoreThe CMO Council and MartechTribe partnered on the Apex Martech Matrix - a powerful framework that maps stack against investment patterns of top performers in the industry. The report draws on over a decade of benchmarking data spanning 15,000+ solutions and 1,600+ real-world stacks across 30 countries.
- WongDoodycoreWongDoody partnered with CMO Council on the Marketing's Power Partners: AI and the Human Essence research program, investigating how marketing organizations harness the efficiencies of AI while introducing collaborative intelligence.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CMO Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ad Age: Long-established marketing media brand publishing news, research, and hosting events (Ad Age Awards). Comparable audience of senior marketers and similar content/events revenue model, though broader media rather than invite-only peer community.
- The Drum: Global media brand covering marketing with events, awards, and editorial. Comparable as a CMO- and marketer-facing content and events brand, with stronger international and digital agency coverage.
- Adweek: Major marketing and advertising media brand with events (Adweek Elevate, awards), newsletters, and research. Comparable in delivering CMO-facing content and events, but operates as a broader media company rather than an exclusive membership community.
- Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity: The flagship global marketing creativity festival and awards program owned by Ascential, serving CMOs, brands, and agencies. Comparable as a high-profile event and content brand for senior marketing leaders, though focused on awards rather than ongoing peer community.
- Marketing Week / Brand Republic: Leading UK-based marketing media brand (Centaur Media) covering strategy, digital, and brands with events and awards. Comparable audience of senior marketers and similar content + events + community architecture.
Direct peers
- Association of National Advertisers (ANA): ANA is the largest U.S. trade association for marketers and brand-side leaders, offering membership, conferences (Masters of Marketing), and thought leadership. Directly comparable as a peer-powered professional association serving senior marketing and brand decision-makers, with a similar content + events + membership GTM.
- The Marketing Society: A global membership community of senior marketers and CMOs offering events, thought leadership, and peer exchange. Closely comparable in mission (CMO peer network), membership model, and event-driven engagement, though with stronger European roots.
- 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies): Trade association representing advertising agencies with member services, conferences, and government advocacy. Comparable as a peer-driven professional association serving the marketing/advertising ecosystem, though agency-focused rather than brand-CMO focused.
- IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau): Trade group for digital advertising and marketing with member companies, research, events (IAB Annual Leadership Meeting), and standards work. Comparable membership + research + events model targeting senior marketing and advertising decision-makers.
Emerging players
- Chief Outsiders: Network of fractional CMOs and marketing executives offering consulting services and a peer community. Comparable in serving senior marketing leaders and operating a community-driven model, but focused on fractional engagements rather than research and events.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CMO Council social profiles
Digital presenceCMO Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CMO Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
CMO Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CMO Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CMO Council
What does CMO Council do?
The CMO Council operates a global peer-powered membership network for Chief Marketing Officers and senior marketing executives, offering tiered memberships (Basic, Premium, Corporate, Library, and Academic/Affiliate), a library of 300+ proprietary research reports, digital publications and newsletters, a private CMO+ mentorship community, regional advisory boards, and live/virtual events. Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership subscriptions, corporate sponsorships (KPMG, Adobe, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, IBM, etc.), and individual report sales.
Is CMO Council a public or private company?
CMO Council is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CMO Council founded?
CMO Council was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CMO Council based?
CMO Council is headquartered in San Jose, United States, in the North America region.
How does CMO Council make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are premium Reports and Research and sponsorships and Partnerships.
Who are CMO Council's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ad Age, The Drum, Adweek, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Marketing Week / Brand Republic. Direct peers are Association of National Advertisers (ANA), The Marketing Society, 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies) and IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau). Chief Outsiders is listed as an emerging player.
Does CMO Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for CMO Council.
What industry is CMO Council in?
CMO Council's product category is Executive Membership and Peer Networking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHACAK, Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services, with a secondary code of THAHACAM, Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management. Its NAICS code is 813920 and its SIC code is 8600.