How many heads of marketing does a startup typically hire before going public?
Answer: Most venture-backed SaaS companies hire around three heads of marketing from founding to IPO.
According to Iconiq Capital’s analysis of 63 SaaS companies that went public after 2016, CEOs replace their head of marketing multiple times as the company scales. Some hire two, while others go through four or more marketing leaders before ringing the bell.
Number of heads of marketing from founding to IPO
This figure represents the best-case scenario—companies that actually reach IPO. Many others are acquired, stall out, or shut down entirely, and they often experience even more turnover in marketing leadership along the way.
📊 Source: Iconiq Capital: Leadership Analytics — Head of Marketing Study
What are the risks of changing marketing leadership too often?
Each leadership change risks lost momentum, pipeline disruption, and potentially a valuation hit.
Marketing leadership transitions can derail brand consistency, slow growth execution, and confuse go-to-market teams during critical scaling phases. CEOs often underestimate the compounding effect of these shifts on team morale and investor confidence.
How can CEOs minimize the risks of marketing leadership changes?
Smart CEOs plan for turnover before it happens.
Here’s how to protect growth velocity and valuation during marketing leadership changes:
Anticipate turnover: Assume a head of marketing tenure of ~24–30 months.
Pre-identify interim CMOs: Maintain relationships with trusted interim or fractional CMOs who can step in quickly.
Vet executive search partners early: Identify search firms aligned with your stage—
Early-stage specialists for Seed–Series B
Scale-stage recruiters for Series C–D
Pre-IPO firms for enterprise-ready leadership
Document your marketing playbook: Preserve institutional knowledge to smooth transitions and maintain continuity.
💡 CEO Takeaway
Every CEO will experience turnover in marketing leadership. The best founders treat it as an expected cost of scale—not a failure. Anticipating and planning for it can preserve both momentum and valuation.
