Forbes’ 2026 World’s Most Influential CMOs
ILLUSTRATION BY ORIANA FENWICK FOR FORBES
CANNES, FRANCE (June 25, 2026) – Forbes has released its 14th annual World’s Most Influential CMOs list, naming Netflix Chief Marketing Officer Marian Lee as No. 1 for the third consecutive year. Based on an evaluation of 10 billion data points spanning nearly 3,000 companies, the list highlights 50 marketing executives whose work is delivering the strongest influence on global business performance, brand strength and growth.
Marian Lee, Netflix’s Chief Marketing Officer, leads the ranking for a third straight year, followed by Emily Prazer of Formula 1 and Frank Cooper III of Visa in the second and third positions.
In developing this year’s ranking, Forbes identified three major throughlines: marketing is increasingly functioning as real-time brand stewardship; entertainment is evolving from a promotional tool into a core engine of brand relevance; and AI is reshaping how work gets done without replacing human judgment.
“The CMOs recognized this year represent the highest caliber of marketing leadership at a moment when the role has never been more consequential,” said Linda Boff, President of the Forbes CMO Network. “They are not only building brands; they are speaking the language of business, driving growth, earning trust and helping lead transformation inside their organizations. This list is about measurable impact, and about convening a community of leaders who are redefining what marketing can do for business.”
In conjunction with the annual ranking, Forbes is also adding nine marketing executives to the Forbes CMO Hall of Fame for the fifth year. The honor recognizes leaders who would have earned a place on the World’s Most Influential CMOs list for the fifth time this year.
This year’s honorees are:
- Manuel “Manolo” Arroyo, EVP, Chief Marketing and Customer Commercial Officer of The Coca-Cola Company
- Asad Ayaz, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer of The Walt Disney Company
- Lorenzo Bertelli, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of CSR, Prada Group
- Cristina Diezhandino, Chief Marketing Officer of Diageo
- Ulrich Klenke, Chief Brand Officer of Deutsche Telekom
- Marcel Marcondes, Chief Marketing Officer of AB InBev
- Don McGuire, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer of Qualcomm
- Jens Thiemer, Chief Customer Officer of Lidl
- Julia White, Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Amazon Web Services
As part of the package, for the first time, Forbes unveiled its CMOs to Watch list, featuring six highly accomplished marketing leaders with proven track records who have been appointed in 2026 at pivotal moments for their organizations and industries.
The Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs List is data-driven with the company’s primary research partner, Sprinklr, and with essential supplemental data and analysis provided by LinkedIn.
“Ten years. Billions of data points. One incredible list. Sprinklr is proud to celebrate a decade as the lead data partner behind the Forbes Most Influential CMOs list, and this year’s class — along with the newest Hall of Fame inductees — represents the very best of marketing leadership,” said Joy Corso, Sprinklr’s Chief Administrative Officer. “What makes this list so special is what it reveals: CMOs who aren’t just launching campaigns but driving their businesses and industries forward. Congratulations to every leader on the 2026 list — your influence is measurable, and it matters.”
This year’s honorees will be celebrated at Forbes’ World’s Most Influential CMOs Luncheon in Cannes, bringing together the global marketing community’s most influential thinkers and doers. Adobe and Salesforce are the Partner Sponsor for the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs Luncheon. McKinsey & Company, Rokt and DoorDash Ads are the Supporting Sponsors.
Sam’s Club Connect is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs List.
To see the full World’s Most Influential CMOs list, visit:
For the complete Forbes CMO Hall of Fame list, visit:
Forbes Media Contacts:
Christina Vega Magrini, cmagrini@forbes.com
Feryal Nawaz, fnawaz@forbes.com
Europe Media Contacts:
Alishae Abeed, a.abeed@hawthornadvisors.com
Labeeb Hussain, l.hussain@hawthornadvisors.com
