CMO Convo

AI is rapidly changing how marketing teams operate. But technology adoption is moving faster than marketers themselves.
In this episode of CMO Convo, Webflow CMO Dave Steer shares how marketing leaders should think about AI adoption, team structure, and the future of the marketing role.
While AI can dramatically increase efficiency, the real challenge isn’t the technology. It’s helping teams develop the skills, processes, and critical thinking needed to use it effectively. As Dave explains, marketers currently have a short window to build AI fluency before the industry changes permanently.
→ Why marketing teams have a short “grace period” to become AI-fluent
→ How leaders should introduce AI tools without overwhelming teams
→ The risk AI poses to early-career marketers
→ Why the marketer of the future will look more like a go-to-market engineer
→ Why trust will remain the most defensible advantage for brands
For marketing leaders navigating AI transformation, this conversation offers a grounded look at what skills, mindset, and leadership will matter most.

What does resilience really look like inside a 140+ year-old media brand?
In this episode of CMO Convo, we sit down with Finola McDonnell, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at the Financial Times, to explore how a legacy publisher stays relevant in an era defined by AI, platform disruption, and shifting audience behaviour.
Finola shares how the FT differentiates between truth and trust — and why that distinction shapes everything from brand strategy to product decisions.
→ Why trust is a strategic asset, not just a value statement
→ How the FT balances AI adoption with human editorial oversight
→ What brand really means in a subscription-led business
→ How to lead teams through constant industry change
→ Why CMOs in 2026 should double down on core strengths instead of chasing every fad
This is a conversation about discipline, identity, and building a brand people do not want to leave.

In a world moving faster than most organizations can process, clarity has become a leadership advantage.
In this episode of CMO Convo, Robin Karakash, former VP of Marketing at Mozilla and founder of Curious Altitudes, explores why narrative is no longer just a storytelling device but a strategic infrastructure that aligns teams, builds trust, and helps companies navigate constant change.
When teams operate from competing storylines, misalignment follows. But when leaders establish a shared narrative, organizations gain direction and the confidence to move faster.
Inside:
→ Why narrative is the “sense-making process” that unifies organizations
→ The difference between storytelling and narrative architecture
→ How misalignment starts and what leaders often overlook
→ A simple framework to locate complexity and set direction
→ Why the next evolution of the CMO may be the “Chief Narrative Officer”
→ How clarity creates trust, accountability, and better decisions
As Robin puts it, “People want certainty, but we live in an uncertain world… whatever stays in your control is you own your own narrative.”

As marketing teams head into 2026, the pressure is clear: move faster, prove revenue impact, adopt AI without losing what makes marketing work in the first place.
In this episode of CMO Convo, CMO Michal Sever shares how she's navigating that tension from the inside. From building AI-powered creative machines to protecting human judgment, creativity, and trust, this conversation goes beyond surface-level AI talk and into real leadership decisions.
Key ideas explored:
→ Why marketing can’t afford to be treated as a cost center anymore
→ How to scale creativity with AI without burning out teams
→ The “athlete mindset” for modern marketing leaders
→ Where AI genuinely helps — and where human validation is non-negotiable
→ Preparing teams, budgets, and strategy for 2026 with clarity, not hype

As marketing teams head into 2026, the pressure is clear: move faster, prove revenue impact, adopt AI without losing what makes marketing work in the first place.
In this episode of CMO Convo, CMO Michal Sever shares how she's navigating that tension from the inside. From building AI-powered creative machines to protecting human judgment, creativity, and trust, this conversation goes beyond surface-level AI talk and into real leadership decisions.
Key ideas explored:
→ Why marketing can’t afford to be treated as a cost center anymore
→ How to scale creativity with AI without burning out teams
→ The “athlete mindset” for modern marketing leaders
→ Where AI genuinely helps — and where human validation is non-negotiable
→ Preparing teams, budgets, and strategy for 2026 with clarity, not hype