Linda Boff named president of Forbes CMO Network
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Linda Boff, the former marketing chief of GE and the current CEO of the startup agency Said Differently, has been named president of Forbes' CMO Network, an exclusive community for top marking leaders across the world's biggest brands.
Why it matters: Boff is one of the most visible and successful marketers in recent history. Forbes' CMO Network is one of the most exclusive networks for top marketers globally.
- During her two-decade tenure with GE, Boff was known for taking risks that paid off, such as transforming Grand Central Terminal's famous celestial ceiling to include projections of women in science.
- Boff replaces marketing guru Seth Matlins, who left Forbes for Vox Media last month after leading the CMO Network for four years.
Zoom in: Boff will be responsible for overseeing all of the events, content and community tied to the CMO Network, and will do so in addition to her full-time role at Said Differently, she told Axios in an interview.
- She will lead Forbes' annual CMO Summits in Aspen and London, and will curate programming at other major marketing events, such as the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.
- As part of her new leadership role, Boff will launch a new podcast called "A Different Take" with Forbes that will explore the tactics and decisions that make different marketing campaigns a hit or miss.
- Boff told Axios she plans to host more workshops and practitioner sessions for marketers focused on what the C-suite is asking CMOs to deliver, like integrating AI into the marketing tech stack.
- Her goal is to make the network "even more of a living, breathing community" that is anchored by events but also features consistent dialogue and collaboration between them, Boff said.
Between the lines: The CMO Network is responsible for curating Forbes' "World's Most Influential CMOs List" every year, which has in the past featured Boff as a hall-of-fame member.
- The Most Influential CMOs list includes 50 marketers each year and is now in its 14th year.
- The list has featured more than 350 CMOs across its history.
The big picture: Forbes, like other business media brands, has tried to lean further into the curation of powerful people and top executives across events that it can sell to sponsors.
- The company, which is best known for curating its "30 Under 30" lists, also brings together councils of top leaders across a variety of top corporate functions, including human resources and finance.
