Catherine Rathje

Catherine Rathje, a partner at McKinsey specializing in marketing strategy, discusses the alarming trends in the Fortune 500, including the decline of CMO roles and shrinking marketing budgets. She emphasizes the widening gap between CEO and CMO understanding, advocating for metrics that align with business priorities. Catherine highlights the need for CMOs to partner with CFOs to redefine ROI and unify fragmented marketing leadership. She warns against 'shiny object syndrome' and argues for a judicious approach to AI, ensuring that personalization adds genuine value without crossing ethical lines.