ANA and Global CMO Growth Council Launch Major Talent Initiative to Bring CMOs Directly to Academia

The Global CMO Growth Council, Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and LIONS announce the launch of ‘Global CMO Homecoming,’ a collaborative initiative designed to bridge the gap between the marketing industry and academia. This initiative aims to bring Chief Marketing Officers to university campuses to share their insights and experiences with marketing students, preparing the next generation of marketing leaders.

In collaboration with the ANA Educational Foundation (AEF), ‘Global CMO Homecoming’ offers students the chance to learn from the best in the marketing field. This initiative will provide students with exposure to real-world advertising cases and invaluable insights from top CMOs. CMOs participating in the program will have the opportunity to connect with their alma mater or a school of their choice, showcasing their career successes, sharing their expertise with new talent, extending brand visibility for their company, and creating a pipeline of entry-level talent.

With a mission of helping prepare the next generation of marketing leaders and enriching, attracting and retaining top talent, ‘Global CMO Homecoming’ will enhance professors’ curricula, and build a bridge between the professor community and the marketing industry.

‘Global CMO Homecoming’ is led by Global CMO Growth Council “Talent and Marketing Organization” Working Team Co-Chairs Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group, and Elizabeth Rutledge, Chief Marketing Officer at American Express.

“It’s all about getting CMOs and senior marketing leaders back to their schools and universities that they care for and love,” said Rutledge. “It’s such an exciting initiative for all of us because of our love of the craft, and to encourage the next generation of talent to have the same love that we do.”

“This has proven to be so helpful — we get so much benefit from engaging with students, whether it’s small or large groups — from hearing from them, from answering their questions, from getting closer to that generation,” added Goldin, “and falling a bit more in love with the work that we do.”

The ANA Educational Foundation works with more than 4,000 professors and 110 university networks. During the fall 2024 semester, Global CMO Growth Council delegates will be matched with this extensive academic community. The AEF will promote the initiative through its network and match CMOs with professors for in-person or virtual visits.

“Business leaders in most other industries are heavily involved with universities — from career development, curriculum and in the classrooms. It’s encouraging to see leaders in our industry now stepping up en masse to inject real-world insights and experiences into the classrooms,” said Nick Primola, Group EVP of the ANA Global CMO Growth Council. “We hope to use this as a springboard to boost momentum that will endure over time, with global reach.”