October saw another wave of marketing leadership change, as companies restructured teams around creativity, data, and growth ahead of 2026.

Honch tracked 9,699 new hires and 3,365 promotions, revealing where marketing investment and decision-making are shifting.

Each appointment represents a new decision-maker, a fresh strategy, and an opportunity for agencies and tech providers selling into marketing.

🌍 Global snapshot

• United Kingdom: 4,684 new hires, 2,036 promotions
• United States: 3,448 new hires, 864 promotions
• Europe: 935 new hires, 367 promotions
• Rest of World: 632 new hires, 98 promotions

Leadership mobility stayed high across every region, especially in roles focused on brand performance, customer experience, and growth.

NB: Across larger markets, Honch tracks senior marketing moves in organisations with 200 or more employees to ensure focus on roles with real strategic influence.

United Kingdom: brand meets performance

The UK remains our most active market for senior marketing hires, with 4,684 new appointments and 2,036 promotions in October.

Notable senior moves:

• Barclays – Laura Harvey, Chief Marketing Officer
• Sky – Tom Gilbert, Director of Brand and Creative
• Sainsbury’s – Clare Kavanagh, Director of Customer and Loyalty

The data shows a strong split between brand and content leadership and digital performance. UK teams are balancing storytelling and creativity with data and efficiency, building brands that perform and campaigns that convert.

For providers: UK marketers are re-evaluating agencies, analytics tools, and engagement partners ahead of 2026 planning. Providers offering measurable brand performance, automation, or customer insight solutions are best placed to win attention.

United States: scale, data, and growth

The US recorded 3,448 new marketing hires and 864 promotions in October, with activity led by tech, retail, and financial services firms.

Notable senior moves:

• Amazon – Kevin Lai, Vice President, Global Performance Marketing
• Coca-Cola – Angela Reed, Head of Brand Strategy, North America
• Salesforce – Michelle Carver, VP Growth Marketing

Hiring trends show a clear tilt toward digital and performance marketing, with growing investment in growth and demand generation. Teams are rebuilding around data, AI, and lifecycle marketing to drive predictable, measurable growth.

For providers: US brands are prioritising tools that connect CRM, analytics, and media performance. Clear ROI, automation, and integration capabilities are key to getting on the shortlist.

Europe: creativity and credibility

Across Europe, Honch tracked 935 new hires and 367 promotions in October, led by Germany, the Netherlands, and France.

Notable senior moves:

• Adidas – Sophie Meyer, VP Global Brand Communications
• Heineken – Robert van der Meer, Global Media Director
• Renault Group – Pauline Durand, Director of Marketing Transformation

European companies are reinforcing their brand and communications strength, linking creative storytelling with credibility, purpose, and sustainability.

Brand-led transformation remains central, especially as regulations and consumer expectations around transparency evolve.

For providers: European marketers are investing in tools that combine brand and data, particularly analytics that quantify creative and social impact. Providers who can help unify reputation, content, and measurement are well placed to win interest.

🌏 Rest of World: emerging innovation hubs

Honch recorded 632 new hires and 98 promotions across other regions, including the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Canada.

Notable senior moves:

• Emirates – Layla Khan, Director of Global Marketing
• Samsung Electronics – Jinwoo Park, VP Brand Experience
• Air Canada – Marie Fortin, Head of Customer and Digital Marketing

Emerging markets continue to invest in marketing infrastructure, regional brand leadership, and partnerships that scale internationally.

AI, automation, and personalisation tools feature heavily in new role descriptions, reflecting demand for smarter, data-led customer engagement.

For providers: These markets are growing fast but selectively. Providers who offer adaptability, regional expertise, and fast integration cycles will see traction first.

📈 Promotions: internal growth, external change

Honch tracked 3,365 marketing promotions globally in October, many in brand, content, and performance leadership.
Promoted leaders often act faster than external hires, reviewing agencies, martech stacks, and workflows within their first quarter.

For providers: Promotions are an early buying signal. These leaders typically have the intent and internal backing to make quick supplier decisions.

💡 What’s shaping marketing right now

Based on analysis of over 1,000 senior marketing leader profiles and research, several consistent priorities are emerging across industries.

Top challenges

• Measurement and attribution: Proving ROI across channels remains a core frustration as privacy and platform changes deepen the gap.
• Data quality and integration: First-party data is fragmented across CRM, analytics, and media systems.
• Budget pressure and efficiency: Leaders are expected to deliver growth with tighter spend and smaller teams.
• Talent and resourcing: Demand for in-house skills in analytics, lifecycle, and creative operations continues to rise.
• Martech complexity: Overlapping tools are driving stack consolidation and warehouse-first data strategies.

Focus areas for 2026

• AI and automation: Used for content generation, media optimisation, and insight reporting.
• CRM and lifecycle: Loyalty, retention, and personalisation are overtaking acquisition as budget priorities.
• Analytics and BI: Unified dashboards and incrementality testing are replacing fragmented metrics.
• CDP and data infrastructure: Strong investment in connecting CRM, media, and product data in one ecosystem.
• Performance media: Consolidated spend, tighter creative-testing loops, and cross-channel measurement.
• Brand and storytelling: Renewed investment in brand-building as a strategic growth lever.

Marketers are moving toward simplicity and substance - fewer tools, smarter automation, and clearer results.

⏩ The 100-day window

Around 70% of new marketing leaders spend most of their first-year budget within 100 days. That means October’s appointments will define activity through November, December, and January, as 2026 budgets lock in.

For providers: Acting now with relevant timing and insight ensures visibility before final reviews close.

🚀 Stay ahead with Honch

Honch tracks every senior marketing move worldwide - every hire, promotion, and company change - giving you visibility into where budgets and decisions are shifting.