8 CMO Training Worth Your Investment In 2025
These are interesting times to be a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). There's the debate about nestling the CMO role alongside Sales and Customer Success under a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). There's the brand versus demand debate that's dragged on for almost a year now. There's the need for AI governance to manage all the new AI tools that keep popping up per minute.
There seems to be so much to do and so much to learn.
This is where the right CMO trainings come into play. They help you prioritize. They make sure you see the forest for the trees. They help prep you for career defining debates like the one about rolling up the CMO role under the CRO.
With the above in mind, I've put together eight of the best CMO training programs in 2025.
Best CMO Training Shortlist
Here's my shortlist of the best CMO training programs out there:
- Chief Marketing Officer Program (Kellogg School of Management)
- The Emerging CMO: Strategic Marketing Leadership (Stanford Graduate School of Business)
- CMO Chief Marketing Officer Executive Certification (Udemy)
- How To Become A CMO (Azola Creative)
- Chief Marketing Officer Program (Columbia Business School)
- Think Like A CMO (Online Marketing Institute)
- Chief Marketing and Growth Officer (CMO) Programme (IIM Kozhikode)
- CMO Foundations: Become an Effective CMO (LinkedIn Learning)
Find more details about each course below.
Overview Of The Best CMO Training
Here's a quick overview of each course, highlighting who it's for and what makes it stand out.
1. Chief Marketing Officer Program (Kellogg School of Management)
Kellogg's CMO training program focuses on crucial skills like brand management, storytelling, and building a customer-first marketing program. Participants also learn the importance of marketing technology to building a first-class marketing program in today's world, AI implementation and governance, and how to deploy data analytics across the marketing organization.
- Who It’s For: Senior marketing professionals aiming for C-level roles
- Topics Covered:
- Customer-centric marketing
- Strategic thinking
- Brand purpose
- C-suite leadership
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 16 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Take The Course: Kellogg School of Management
2. The Emerging CMO: Strategic Marketing Leadership (Stanford Graduate School of Business)
This in-person CMO training program combines access to the latest research from Stanford University with lectures that bridge the gap between research and execution.
- Who It’s For: Senior marketers and newly appointed CMOs
- Topics Covered:
- Strategic marketing management
- Customer-centric innovation
- Leadership capabilities
- Online, In-Person, or Both? In-Person
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 1 week
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 9 hours
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Applications are reviewed as space allows; early submission is advised
- Price: $16,000
- Take The Course: Stanford Graduate School of Business
3. CMO Chief Marketing Officer Executive Certification (Udemy)
This specialization program provides a comprehensive understanding of the CMO role, focusing on the the core skills participants need to drive influence across the organization.
- Who It’s For: Marketing professionals aspiring to leadership roles in organizations
- Topics Covered:
- Strategic marketing management
- Customer-centric marketing
- Brand development and management
- Data-driven decision making
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? Yes
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $39.99
- Take The Course: Udemy
4. How To Become A CMO (Azola Creative)
This program provides real-world marketing insights from a leader with experience working with both small businesses and large brands. It is designed to help participants step into the CMO role and own it from day one.
- Who It’s For: Individuals aspiring to become CMOs
- Topics Covered:
- Digital marketing strategies
- Branding
- Strategic planning
- Communication
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in marketing or business
- Take The Course: Azola Creative
5. Chief Marketing Officer Program (Columbia Business School)
This program helps participants improve their ability to identify and act on competitive marketing opportunities. They'll learn the key metrics CMOs are measured on, team management, and how to set up and manage multichannel customer marketing programs.
- Who It’s For: Experienced marketing executives
- Topics Covered: Customer centricity, marketing strategy, agile execution
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Both
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 9 to 12 months
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 3 to 5 hours per week
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Minimum of 10 years of marketing experience
- Fluency in written and spoken English
- Price: $28,000
- Take The Course: Columbia Business School
6. Think Like A CMO (Online Marketing Institute)
This training is for new and experienced marketers facing the challenges of today's changing marketing world. Top CMOs from McDonald's, CapitalOne, and Hershey's share their lessons and tips. They offer easy-to-understand advice to help others grow and succeed in marketing.
- Who It’s For: Both new and experienced marketers
- Topics Covered:
- Digital transformation
- Brand strategy
- Generational marketing
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 3 hours and 1 minute
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free with subscription
- Take The Course: Online Marketing Institute
7. Chief Marketing and Growth Officer (CMO) Programme (IIM Kozhikode)
This program boosts marketing leadership skills with live lectures from top faculty, CMOs, and CXOs at IIMK. It offers opportunities to learn, network, and collaborate with experienced peers while gaining real-world knowledge through case studies and business simulations. Topics include growth hacking, AI, digital strategies, leadership, and building management and financial skills.
- Who It’s For: Experienced marketing leaders
- Topics Covered:
- Growth hacking
- AI integration
- Digital strategies
- C-suite leadership
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Both
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 10 months
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 3 hours per week
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Graduate or diploma holder with at least 10 years of experience
- Take The Course: IIM Kozhikode
8. CMO Foundations: Become an Effective CMO (LinkedIn Learning)
This course helps aspiring CMOs achieve results and succeed in times of uncertainty. It provides guidance and tools to tackle modern marketing challenges and build strong stakeholder connections. Marketing expert Lisa Nirell begins the course by discussing common obstacles marketing leaders face, especially in a world where budgets are often limited.
- Who It’s For: Aspiring chief marketing officers
- Topics Covered:
- Messaging growth gaps
- Budget constraints
- Executive collaboration
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 1 hour and 9 minutes
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free
- Take The Course: LinkedIn Learning
What’s Next?
Ready to keep growing? We've got a couple of other resources you might find helpful, such as:
- The CMO's guide to marketing metrics
- This list of CMO conferences to attend and network with peers and industry leaders
- And this curated list of the best podcasts for CMOs
You should also subscribe to The CMO newsletter to stay on top of trends and get the latest tips, resources, and guides from our community of seasoned marketing leaders straight to your inbox.
