The Modern GTM Executive: Change of GTM Guard

June 2025

Author

Joey Brodsky
June 02, 2025

Hello and welcome to The Modern GTM Executive by Lunar Executive Search - read by 2,000+ leading Sales, Marketing, and Executive Leaders within Growth-Stage Technology businesses. We’re here to help people redefine their perspective on modern revenue acquisition models, understand what talent & skills are necessary to do so, and how to find the to 10% of GTM Leaders to execute.

Change of GTM Guard

There is a “change of guard” happening across the software landscape right now, deeply effecting GTM leadership teams.

As part of our rigorous research engine at Lunar Executive Search - I published a report recently on key growth, efficiency, and talent trends across the top 50 public software organizations in the US for 2024. Results were shocking (download the report here).

  • 68% Of Listed Companies made additions to their C-Suite in 2024

  • 46% Of Listed Companies Made Additions to their GTM Executive Teams

  • 70% Of the GTM Executives Hires made were Marketing Leadership Positions

This shift reflects a broader reality: the skillset required to be an exceptional CMO or VP of Marketing is evolving faster than nearly any other function in tech. Few roles sit closer to the intersection of technology, revenue, and public perception—making Marketing disproportionately sensitive to both macroeconomic and geo-political shifts.

But more importantly, AI is redrawing the blueprint for what great looks like.

Skills like GEO (Generative Experience Optimization), AIVO, and other AI-driven efficiency strategies are becoming foundational to go-to-market execution. Today’s top CMOs are expected to not just understand these technologies, but to lead with them—driving personalization, performance, and productivity at scale.

That means traditional skill sets—brand, messaging, product marketing—while still essential, are no longer enough. The modern CMO needs:

  • A technical grasp of AI capabilities and how they apply across the funnel

  • Fluency in data, experimentation, and conversion architecture

  • Change management experience to drive adoption of new GTM tech stacks

  • A product mindset to tightly align with PLG and revenue operations

In a world where the buyer journey is increasingly non-linear and algorithmically shaped, the best marketing leaders are becoming part growth hacker, part systems thinker, part creative strategist.

This is why we're seeing such a high volume of turnover and transformation at the marketing helm—because the job itself has changed.

What this means for you as:

  • A Marketing Leader

    • You must invest significant time in improving your understanding, abilities, and skill sets in AI driven marketing strategies. Do this quickly.

    • Some more resources on this, here.

  • An Executive Hiring a New Marketing Leader

    • AI Skills, GEO Competency, and Modern Funnel Management need to be at the top of your scorecard.

    • This is emerging talent, that is still incredibly hard to find & qualify. You need to compound this with a leadership style that promotes (and requires) deep experimentation in your GTM strategy.

This shift will continue to accelerate over the next 12-18 months. Time is slim if you do not want to be caught behind, either as a marketing leader looking to continue growing in their career, or as a leader not wanting to scale slower than your competitors.

Latest Job Opportunities

We've got a number of active opportunities across our portfolio of software clients at Lunar Executive Search currently.

A few select openings:

  • Head of Federal Sales - Cyber Vendor - DC Area

  • Field CISO / Director of SE - Cyber Vendor - Remote

  • Regional Sales Manager - MSSP - TOLA

  • Sales Director - PenTesting - Remote

  • Director of Sales - Manufacturing SaaS - Orlando (Hybrid)

  • Senior Account Executive - MSSP - SouthEast Territory

  • Account Executive - InsurTech - Orlando (Hybrid)

  • Sales Engineer (Strategic Partnerships) - Cyber Vendor - Remote

  • Sales Engineer - Cyber Vendor - Remote

I'm also always look to great candidates for future roles:

  • Chief Revenue Officer - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI

  • Chief Marketing Officer - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI

  • VP of Product Marketing - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI

  • VP of Partnerships - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI

Highlights from The GTM Kickback! Podcast

In the last month, we had 1 fantastic interview on The GTM Kickback!, with many more already booked and recored on the way.

Check out my interview with the great and powerful Noah Zandan:

Modern Go-to-Market Strategies for AI Vendors w/ Noah Zandan

Want to be a guest? Ping me on LinkedIn! 😎

We're looking for: High-performance GTM Operators, VC/PE Investors in SaaS, and Leading GTM Consultants for early stage technology businesses

New to "The GTM Kickback!"? Subscribe to the podcast!

This newsletter is powered by Lunar Executive Search - Finding Premier GTM Talent for Growth Stage Tech Businesses.

We help disruptive technology companies grow. For venture-funded start-ups and PE-backed enterprise software firms, we have a track record in finding the Top 10% of Sales and Marketing Leadership Talent, and doing so swiftly.

Reach out to me here: [email protected]

Till next time,

Joey