Her industry-defying long tenure comes after a ‘radical transformation’ for Adobe’s marketing organization
Few CMOs remain at a single organization for very long. But Ann Lewnes, Adobe’s chief marketing officer and executive vice president of corporate strategy and development, is an anomaly. Her tenure spans an astounding 16 years, but will conclude next month when she retires.
In Silicon Valley, Lewnes led Adobe’s marketing organization as it transformed into the globally known digital behemoth it is today. The CMO sold the market on the company’s SaaS model and shifted its media investment into digital channels. Lewnes has been planning her departure for months, she told Adweek, and notified the company before the end of the year. Yet, she leaves Adobe without a new marketing leader to guide its global organization.
As a result, Adobe is searching for someone to fill Lewnes’ position. That individual will step into a very different organizational structure than the one Lewnes led for most of her Adobe tenure. In fact, a media agency RFP Adweek obtained describes the department as having recently undergone a “radical transformation” that streamlined regional marketing units into a single global entity.
“Initially, we were very centralized and that made sense,” Lewnes said. “Then we kind of decentralized [the marketing organization]. I think we’re looking for a much more efficient, cohesive model that has a strong center, but also empowered leadership in the regions.”
This, Lewnes said, will emphasize Adobe’s brand and messaging without compromising on its marketing efficiency.
Lewnes beat the odds
Over time, what it means to be a CMO changed significantly, to the extent that yesterday’s marketing geniuses might fail, should they now reassume their roles. A keen understanding of technology, partnerships and a crowded media space is crucial, not to mention the creative excellence and managerial intelligence that have always been on the top marketer’s job description. The new requirements make becoming an effective CMO a tall order for most. Few stay in the role very long, with CMOs in the U.S. departing their organizations on average every 40 months, according to a Statista study from late 2021.
That makes Lewnes, who assumed the role at Adobe in 2006, an exception. She’d previously served as Intel’s vice president of sales and marketing.
