Short CMO tenures continue to be common. For example, Dunkin’s previous CMO lasted a mere nine months, a remarkably short tenure even among CMOs. The average tenure in 2021 remained at 40 months, per Spencer Stuart, and has continued to creep down from a high of 48 months in 2014. Median tenure continued to inch up to pre-pandemic levels and, in 2021, hit 28 months.
The prevalence of relatively short CMO stints may be compounded by efforts to diversify and the lingering effects of the pandemic, as Americans leave their jobs in record numbers. However, CEO tenures were more than double the average CMO tenure, at 85 months, according to the report.
