VaynerX, the modern integrated advertising company founded by Gary Vaynerchuk, and The Marketing Academy, led by Founder & Global CEO Sherilyn Shackell, today announced a shared commitment to accelerating the growth of the next generation of marketing leaders around the world.
This shared vision was underscored at VaynerX’s Future CMO Summit (FCMO) at The Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana, a two-day, invite-only gathering of 20 emerging marketers nominated by senior brand leaders. Designed as an immersive professional development experience, the Summit created space for honest dialogue, real-time learning, and reflection on what modern CMOs must know to lead in today’s culture, creator, and AI-driven landscape.
At the heart of the effort is a unified belief from Vaynerchuk and Shackell: The most important person in the room is the future CMO and the industry has a responsibility to actively foster and invest in that talent now.
“Marketing is in the middle of a massive shift,” said Gary Vaynerchuk, Chairman of VaynerX. “Tomorrow’s CMOs must be fluent in culture, creators, AI, and speed, and most importantly, lead with empathy and accountability. Nurturing that talent early is essential for the future of our industry.”
“Our mission is to develop extraordinary leadership in exceptional talent,” said Sherilyn Shackell, Founder & Global CEO, The Marketing Academy. “By aligning with VaynerX around this shared ambition, we can expand the breadth & depth of our Alumni Programs globally and support rising CMOs build the confidence, capability, and modern skillsets required to thrive in an increasingly complex world.”
Together, VaynerX and The Marketing Academy will champion this next generation of leaders, including 1,400 TMA Alumni across the U.S., EMEA, and APAC, through coordinated development efforts and curated learning experiences. Insights from the FCMO Summit, including the importance of cultural fluency, community-centric leadership, content ecosystem thinking, and AI enablement will guide programming throughout 2025–2026.
Following the FCMO, planned VaynerX and The Marketing Academy initiatives for TMA Alumni and wider marketing community include:
- Curated leadership development sessions and modern skill-building experiences
- Roundtables and intimate gatherings for emerging CMOs
- Cross-regional connections and mentorship from VaynerX and The Marketing Academy leaders
- Ongoing thought leadership exploring the evolving CMO role
The shared goal is clear: to equip rising marketing leaders with the tools, perspective, and community they need to shape the next era of global brand-building.
