Join the IRG Community

Join the IRG Community

Published on: 05 December 2022

Reflections from a marketing leader on IRGs Da Vinci Growth CMO Profile

In her most recent executive role, Zeynep Yalim Uzun led 14 brands and a team of 2000 across 150+ markets as Arcelik CMO. As an IRG participant in 2021, she was voted as a Humanizing Growth Finalist. Here is how she reflects on the Da Vinci Growth CMO Profile.

“In order to achieve the golden balance of purpose and business results, the CMOs of today should embody some important personal characteristics. Being connected and collaborative is key in today’s world. Seamless collaboration with his or her own team, in addition to peers in the industry, is a key driver of success for today’s CMOs. The leadership dynamics have changed, it is essential today to lead from a philosophy of inclusion and humility.

Another important attribute is being a curious and dynamic learner. I believe that this attribute is a must for those in leadership positions in our ever-changing world today. Another key point is being agile and impact obsessed. We have seen during the pandemic how things changed at warp speed overnight. Within the course of a few days, we had to scrap all the brand plans and come up with completely new ones appropriate to the pandemic situation at hand. This is one example of how the CMOs of today need to be super adaptable and speedy. Also, as organizations become even more mindful of how they spend their resources, marketing functions get even more questions on impact. Therefore, it is a must for CMOs to be constantly measuring and assessing the impact of every activity and spend done on the brand.

Finally, marketing is all about storytelling – this of course is not new but finding those stories that truly connect with the zeitgeist and telling them in a courageous way that connects with people’s hearts is truly what differentiates a great CMO.”

Inspired by Zeynep Yalim Uzun, IRG participant 2021. Read the full article here.

Join the community and receive curated CMO insights straight to your inbox