Technology

CMOs are tasked with driving AI-era growth – but many sacrifice long-term brand building to win influence, new study finds

Published

5 months ago

June 17, 2026

Global study of 500+ marketing leaders reveals a growing “CMO Trust Trade-Off” as pressure to satisfy short-term C-suite demands to gain influence competes with long-term brand growth

NEW YORK, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Lippincott today launched CMO Outlook 2026, a global study of more than 500 marketing leaders, revealing a growing disconnect: while CMOs are increasingly expected to drive business growth and lead AI transformation, many lack the influence and organizational support needed to deliver on those expectations.

The study found that only 28% of CMOs describe their influence within their organizations as very high, while 15% say they are not even the most senior marketing decision-maker at their company.

At the same time, 84% report difficulty aligning leadership around a marketing vision, nearly eight in ten say bureaucracy regularly interferes with decision-making, and fewer than half (44%) say marketing operates with a high degree of autonomy.

The findings point to what Lippincott calls the “CMO Trust Trade-Off”—a dynamic in which CMOs prioritize short-term performance demands to gain internal credibility and influence, often at the expense of long-term brand building and sustainable growth.

While respondents identified driving long-term growth and strengthening customer perception as top priorities, many said their teams spend most of their time proving marketing’s immediate impact and meeting short-term business targets.

The research also found that AI has become a major leadership priority, ranking among CMOs’ top challenges. However, organizational readiness remains limited. Only 12% of respondents rated their technology enablement as excellent, and just 11% said their organizations excel at adopting and innovating with new marketing technologies.

“In partnering with CMOs across decades, we’ve witnessed a gradual shift in how brand and marketing decisions are made within companies. Now, CMOs are being asked to drive growth and help lead transformation, but many face organizational barriers that make delivery harder,” Michael D’Esopo, CEO, Lippincott, said. “The conventional wisdom of focusing entirely on what the CEO and CFO demand has ushered in this current era of marketing, in which the focus on quantifiable, immediate performance comes at the expense of brand health. But in this new world order, CMOs and businesses both lose. Our research suggests the next era of marketing requires a different mindset.”

The study also found that while marketers increasingly recognize the value of culture-driven marketing, organizational speed and alignment continue to hinder execution.

The full report, developed in partnership with Bloomberg Media and fielded by NewtonX, is available here: https://www.lippincott.com/cmo-outlook-2026/

About Lippincott
Lippincott is a global brand, experience, and marketing consultancy committed to helping companies address their most complex brand challenges. Identifying fresh opportunities and realizing brand possibilities is our specialty. Since 1943, Lippincott has produced lasting, transformative impact for clients across a range of sectors. As part of Oliver Wyman, a Marsh Business, Lippincott brings high-caliber industry, risk and operational insights into our work, blending a management consultancy’s strategic rigor with a proven legacy of creativity to help clients see challenges differently.

About Bloomberg Media
Bloomberg Media is the world’s leading multi-platform media company for business and finance, which draws on the editorial resources of more than 3,000 journalists and analysts in more than 100 bureaus around the world. Bloomberg Media is the consumer-facing media organization of Bloomberg L.P.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cmos-are-tasked-with-driving-ai-era-growth—but-many-sacrifice-long-term-brand-building-to-win-influence-new-study-finds-302803458.html

SOURCE Lippincott

Technology

Datavault AI Founder Nathaniel Bradley Sues Board

Published

54 seconds ago

November 7, 2026

WILMINGTON, Del., Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Lawsuit Alleges Chairman and CFO Brett Moyer Engineered a Weekend Lockout While Keeping a $90–$100 Million Financing Offer From Independent Directors

Datavault AI Founder Nathaniel Bradley Sues Board

Nathaniel Bradley, the founder whose technology became Nasdaq-listed Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ: DVLT), today filed a lawsuit in the Delaware Court of Chancery asking the court to declare his contested ouster as CEO void and restore him to office. The complaint alleges that Board Chairman and CFO Brett Moyer “suspended” Bradley without a Board vote, cut off his email, and then rushed through a defective Sunday meeting, all while a $90–$100 million financing lifeline sat on the table.

On October 30, two days after Bradley asked the Board to consider removing Moyer as CFO, Moyer “suspended” Bradley on his own perceived authority. According to the complaint, no Board meeting was held and no written consent was circulated. This was done despite Datavault’s own Bylaws, which give only the full Board the power to remove officers.

The lawsuit further alleges that Moyer and certain unnamed directors shut Bradley out one day after he brought the company a $90–$100 million funding offer that could have substantially improved its financial position. Rather than present the offer, Moyer “suppressed, withheld and concealed” it from the company’s independent directors.

Last night, Bradley released the following statement:

“While I remain confident in Datavault AI’s technology, product offerings, and patent-protected innovations, I strongly dispute the legal validity of the Board’s decision to remove me as President and Chief Executive Officer.

“During my tenure, we increased revenue by more than 1,300% in my first year, alongside record trading volumes, and built the foundation for continued growth. We assembled a portfolio of more than

100 patents and pending applications, including newly issued U.S. patents in data valuation, tokenization, and wireless audio. We launched the Information Data Exchange, NIL Vault, and American Political Exchange, and signed licensing and tokenization agreements that bring real-world assets, from carbon credits to gold, copper, and geothermal energy, onto our platforms. We also completed strategic acquisitions, including API Media Innovations, that expanded our reach into digital twins, sports, and live events. We broadened our strategic partnership network, including with IBM,

ServiceNow, and the Department of Energy, and recruited industry-leading talent to the Datavault cause.

“Innovators are often targeted, and I intend to protect my rights and the interests of the Company and its shareholders. I believe the Board’s action jeopardizes the Company’s ability to realize its full potential.”

Jacob Frenkel, Bradley’s lead counsel and a former SEC enforcement lawyer and federal prosecutor, said:

“The company’s groundbreaking and cutting-edge technologies are a function of Mr. Bradley’s brilliance and vision. As a corporate leader, Mr. Bradley has a long-standing commitment to best practices in corporate governance.”

Mr. Bradley puts his investors first. When you’re out building and innovating and those you think you can trust decide to stage a corporate coup, the only place for relief is in court. Mr. Bradley will continue to fight for the shareholders and against those who put their own interests ahead of the company’s stakeholders.”

Read the full complaint here.

About Nathaniel Bradley:

Nathaniel Bradley is an inventor and technology executive who holds more than 70 patents. He founded and invented AudioEye, founded Intellectual Property Network Inc., and served as CTO of Marathon Patent Group (now Marathon Digital Holdings). In 2021, he founded Data Vault Holdings, whose assets were acquired in December 2024 by WiSA Technologies, the company that became Datavault AI. As CEO, he led the company through partnerships with IBM, Dolby Laboratories, and NYIAX, as well as the acquisition of CompuSystems assets.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/datavault-ai-founder-nathaniel-bradley-sues-board-302932495.html

SOURCE Datavault AI Inc

Technology

County of Sussex, New Jersey Notice of Data Privacy Incident

Published

57 seconds ago

November 7, 2026

NEWTON, N.J., Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office (SCPO) experienced a data privacy event that involved personal information.

On or about August 10, 2026, SCPO received alerts of a disruption to its computer network. Upon this identification, it launched an immediate investigation and engaged outside cybersecurity specialists to assist. The investigation determined that someone accessed its network without authorization between July 15, 2026, and July 22, 2026, and that certain files containing personal information were accessed and may have been taken. That information includes people’s first and last name, Social Security number, and driver’s license or State-issued identification card number. The SCPO has reported the incident to state and federal law enforcement, the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC), and the Office of Attorney General. For more information on this incident, people may contact the call center at (888) 269-1448, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST for further assistance.

Lauren Stinger, Esq.
Lauren.stinger@kennedyslaw.com
Associate Counsel

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/county-of-sussex-new-jersey-notice-of-data-privacy-incident-302932369.html

SOURCE Kennedys CMK LLP

Technology

Light AI Announces Resignation of Director and Officer

Published

1 hour ago

November 7, 2026

VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 6, 2026 /CNW/ — Light AI Inc. (“Light AI” or the “Company”) (CBOE CA: ALGO (FSE: OHC) (OTCQB: OHCFF), announces that Peter Whitehead has resigned as a director and the Chief Innovation Officer of the Company to pursue other opportunities. The Company would like to thank Mr. Whitehead for his contributions to the Company.

About Light AI Inc. (CBOE CA: ALGO / FSE: OHC / OTCQB: OHCFF)

Light AI Inc. is a healthcare technology company focused on developing artificial intelligence-powered SaMD solutions designed to support rapid, accessible clinical assessment at the point of care. The Company’s core technology, Light AI QuickScan™, is a device-agnostic software platform that applies proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to medical images. The QuickScan™ platform is designed to operate across compatible imaging and computing hardware, providing flexibility for integration into a range of healthcare devices, clinical workflows and care settings without dependence on a single proprietary hardware platform.

ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY

“John R. Luna”
Chief Executive Officer

For more information, please contact the Company at investors@light.ai or visit https://light.ai/.

Website: https://light.ai/
LinkedIn: LinkedIn/company/Light AI
X (Formerly Twitter): @lightaihealth

SOURCE Light AI Inc.