Key Messages
- The “European CMO of the Year” is being awarded for the first time, recognizing outstanding marketing leadership in Europe.
- The award ceremony will take place on June 22 alongside the Cannes Lions.
- More than 800 CMOs from 15 countries nominated their peers. The shortlist is based on data-driven analysis, clear criteria, and has been scientifically validated by the University of St. Gallen.
- Focus on the complexity of European marketing
Topic Overview
- Recognizing a uniquely European challenge
- A community-driven methodology
- What happens next
European CMO of the Year Launches, Revealing Shortlist of CMOs Navigating Europe’s Complexity
A new pan-European initiative is launching this year: European CMO of the Year. The award recognizes marketing leaders shaping brand growth across one of the world’s most complex regions.
Munich, May 6, 2026 – Today, the award reveals its first shortlist, highlighting CMOs who are setting the benchmark for cross-market marketing leadership across Europe.
The full list can be viewed here.
Backed by Serviceplan Group, Samsung Ads, The Trade Desk and the University of St. Gallen, alongside industry partners including Euronews, LinkedIn and FEDMA, the initiative brings together academic rigor and industry expertise to establish a new benchmark for marketing leadership in Europe.
The award builds on established national CMO programs in Germany, Belgium and Switzerland, expanding them to a European level for the first time
“Marketing is a growth engine for companies, enabling innovation and playing a key role in long-term success. Digitalization and data-driven strategies make its impact on value creation measurable – and clearly show the significant contribution CMOs make to businesses. With the European CMO of the Year, we are giving this achievement a prominent platform across Europe.”
Florian Haller
CEO
Serviceplan Group
“The European CMO of the Year is built on a clear principle: the selection comes from within the marketing community itself, is scientifically validated, and supported by leading partners. This combination is unique. Congratulations to all CMOs who have made it onto the shortlist with their outstanding work.”
Felix Bartels
CMO
Serviceplan Group
Recognizing a uniquely European challenge
Marketing leadership in Europe means operating within one of the most fragmented business environments globally. Brands must balance consistency with local nuance across languages, cultures and regulatory systems – often simultaneously.
The award recognizes CMOs who successfully navigate this complexity and build strategies that scale across markets.
“Europe represents one of the most complex and diverse marketing landscapes, where success relies on striking the right balance between scale and local relevance. We’re proud to support an initiative that recognizes the leaders who turn this complexity into a competitive advantage.”
Alex Hole
SVP & General Manager
Samsung Europe und MENA
A community-driven methodology
At its core, the award is designed to reflect the perspective of the marketing community itself.
The process began with the CMO Barometer, where more than 800 marketing leaders from 15 countries nominated peers they believe are setting the benchmark for cross-market leadership.
These nominations were then analyzed using AI-supported tools to identify the most relevant candidates and define the shortlist. The selection was based on clearly defined criteria, including responsibility across multiple European markets, sustained strategic impact and a proven leadership track record. The results were subsequently reviewed and validated by the University of St. Gallen, ensuring academic rigor and transparency.
What happens next
Just like the shortlist selection, the final decision on who will be named European CMO of the Year again lies with the community: The winner is chosen by the CMOs participating in the CMO Barometer, who also submitted the original nominations.
The award will be presented on June 22, 2026, at a gala held alongside the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, one of the most important global gatherings of the creative and marketing industry.
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About Serviceplan Group
Serviceplan Group SE & Co. KG is Europe’s largest owner-managed agency group (Source: W&V / GWA 2025). Founded in Munich in 1970, it now employs over 6,500 people at more than 40 locations in 24 countries. In the 2024/2025 fiscal year, the group generated fee revenue of €866 million, representing a 6% increase over the previous year and significantly exceeding the market average.
At the core of the business model is the internationally established House of Communication model, which fully integrates strategy, creation, media, data and technology under one roof and has been rolled out worldwide. 62% of clients receive integrated, cross-group support, enabling consistent execution across the entire marketing value chain.
The Serviceplan Group’s performance has been validated externally on numerous occasions: 19 Cannes Lions (2025) as well as awards for Independent Network of the Year and Independent Agency of the Year. Further recognition includes top placements at D&AD, ADC, Clio, Webby, and Eurobest, as well as leading positions in national and international agency and media rankings. Ad Age ranks the Serviceplan Group among the 15 largest agency groups worldwide. Furthermore, a client satisfaction rate of 87%, achieved for the third consecutive year in 2025 and based on the annual, independent survey of 2,761 clients, confirms the group’s high performance.