TLDR: A new IBM CMO Study 2025 reveals that 63% of Indian Chief Marketing Officers are now directly accountable for profitability, a significant increase from previous years. This expanded mandate comes as CMOs grapple with challenges in AI integration, talent readiness, and data utilization, despite recognizing AI’s transformative potential. The study highlights a disconnect between strategic ambition and operational execution, urging a new playbook for marketing leadership.
Bengaluru, India – A recent study by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV), the ‘IBM CMO Study 2025,’ indicates a profound shift in the role of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) in India. The study reveals that a substantial 63% of Indian CMOs are now directly accountable for their organizations’ profitability, closely mirroring the global trend of 64%. Furthermore, 53% of these marketing leaders are also directly responsible for driving revenue growth, underscoring their increasingly central role beyond traditional brand stewardship.
The study, based on insights from over 3,000 global CMOs including Indian executives, highlights that while Indian CMOs are aligning with global counterparts in their expanded responsibilities, they face significant hurdles, particularly concerning artificial intelligence (AI) integration and talent development. Despite 44% of CMOs believing their function is ready to integrate Agentic AI, a stark ‘skills paradox’ exists: only 26% feel they possess the necessary talent to achieve their AI goals over the next two years. Moreover, a mere 23% have adequately prepared their teams for the cultural and operational shifts that AI agents are expected to bring.
Data utilization presents another critical challenge. While 63% of Indian CMOs acknowledge that the true value of generative AI lies in proprietary data, a staggering disconnect remains as only 1% of enterprise data is currently being leveraged. This points to a significant untapped opportunity for data-driven insights and AI applications.
To future-proof their organizations, Indian CMOs are prioritizing several key areas. Customer experience leads the list at 41%, followed by the scalability of service delivery (37%), technology modernization (37%), marketing and sales effectiveness (34%), and business model innovation (32%). However, the study also identifies a ‘responsible AI gap,’ with only 26% of Indian CMOs having established clear guidelines for ethical AI use, ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in automated decision-making.
Cross-functional misalignment continues to be a hurdle, with only one-third of organizations possessing a unified view of the customer journey. CMOs estimate that fully aligning marketing, sales, and operations could unlock up to a 20% increase in additional revenue. Interestingly, Indian CMOs demonstrate a strong focus on ecosystem building, with 62% prioritizing partnerships, significantly higher than the global average of 47%.
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Commenting on the findings, Tuhina Pandey, Director – APAC Communications & Marketing, India and South Asia, IBM, stated, ‘As AI radically transforms how businesses engage, operate, and grow, Indian CMOs are uniquely positioned to lead this shift by harnessing AI responsibly. While the potential of AI is clear, what’s needed now is a bold new playbook, one powered by trusted data, skilled talent, cultural reset, and AI augmentation.’ The study underscores the urgent need for Indian marketing leaders to bridge the gap between their strategic ambitions and operational execution in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
