Fractional CMO: external marketing leadership
A growing business may need experienced marketing leadership before it is ready for a full-time CMO. I can take an agreed external leadership role: connect marketing to business goals, set priorities, coordinate your team and agencies, and establish a regular review of results. Decision rights, availability and the working rhythm are agreed before the engagement begins.
Discuss this projectEugene Mischenko · English & Russian · Online / Yerevan
01 / Context
Who this is for
For a founder managing marketing personally, a brand preparing its next stage of growth, or a company between marketing directors. The format also suits businesses with capable specialists who need a shared strategy and someone to own cross-functional decisions.
02 / Decisions
Questions we examine
- Which customer segments, offers and channels deserve priority?
- How should the budget support acquisition, retention and brand development?
- Who owns delivery, and what decisions need the founder or CEO?
- Which capabilities should stay in-house, be developed or be contracted out?
What the work can produce
- A marketing strategy and operating plan tied to business priorities.
- A decision framework for budgets, experiments and agency briefs.
- A working rhythm for team coordination and management reporting.
- An agreed capability plan and handover documentation for the next stage.
The final deliverables are agreed for your business and engagement.
What to prepare
Describe the business model, growth goals, team and current contractors. Share the decisions currently waiting on the founder and the management responsibilities you want to delegate. We then agree the mandate, meeting rhythm, access, escalation routes and reporting.
How we start
Send a short description of the business, the decision in front of you and the result you need. We discuss the context, identify useful inputs and agree the format, scope, timing and fee.
Write about your projectExperience & sources
Experience behind the advice
METRO: e-commerce leadership
Experience leading the e-commerce division at METRO Cash & Carry. A published Mindbox interview discusses customer data, the digital channel and the business behind omnichannel retail.
Read the sourceL’Occitane: digital commerce in beauty
The MediaMetrics interview examines online and store sales, loyalty and the customer experience of buying cosmetics.
Read the sourceFounder and President of ECDMA
Leading a professional association focused on e-commerce and digital marketing, with professional exchange, education and industry programmes.
Read the sourceBefore we begin
How is this different from a consultation?
A consultation helps resolve a defined question. A fractional CMO has a recurring management role with agreed responsibility for priorities, coordination and reviews. The mandate determines which decisions I can make and which remain with the company.
Does this include people who execute campaigns?
The CMO role primarily covers leadership. Execution can be handled by your employees, existing agencies or my team under a separate scope. If you need leadership and delivery together, the external marketing department format is relevant.
Can this support the appointment of an in-house director?
Yes. We can include a role profile, assessment criteria for candidates and a documented handover. The transition plan should make goals, current decisions, supplier relationships and team responsibilities clear.