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CMO Huddles has released the first-ever Top 101 B2B Marketing Influencers list, created in partnership with Renegade.com. The 2022 list celebrates marketing leaders who found ways to lead through talent shortages, live-event uncertainty, budget pressure, digital fatigue, and early recession concerns — while staying connected to peers who understood the moment.
Leading an effective marketing department has never been easy. Leading one in 2022 was next to impossible.
The year started with talent pressure. Mid-tier employees were moving quickly, salaries were rising, and experienced product marketing and marketing ops talent were especially hard to find. Even when CMOs filled open roles, higher salaries put new pressure on budgets, programs, and performance expectations.
And staffing was only one challenge.
Many marketers were also tiptoeing back into live events, eager to reconnect with customers and identify new opportunities after years of digital fatigue. The return made sense. Webinars and other pandemic-era content channels were losing some of their punch.
But live events weren’t simple either. Teams were rusty. Travel and entertainment costs had climbed. Potential customers were still cautious. And in some cases, events started to feel more like vendor gatherings than true buyer opportunities.
By mid-year, recession concerns added another layer of pressure. CFOs started talking about spending freezes and hiring freezes. Once again, marketing leaders were being asked to make more out of less.
Still, an elite cohort of B2B marketing leaders didn’t just survive 2022. They found ways to keep moving.
They stayed close to their teams. They stayed sharp on strategy. They kept learning through uncertainty. And critically, they didn’t go it alone.
They turned to fellow marketers for advice and counsel on their most pressing challenges. They met one-on-one, gathered in small virtual huddles, stayed active in community, and kept sharing what was working.
That’s what made the first Top 101 list worth creating: A chance to recognize the B2B marketing leaders who were sharing, caring, and daring each other to succeed despite the odds.
Explore the first-ever Top 101 B2B Marketing Influencers list in the 2022 eBook.
CMO Huddles helps B2B marketing leaders win by bringing together peers, fresh perspectives, and opportunities to build stronger personal brands. Want to join the huddle? Learn more about CMO Huddles and apply to join the community.