Chiefmarketing officers (CMOs) at online trading firms are leaving their jobs fasterthan ever, with new data from FYI showing the median tenure has dropped to just17.5 months across the industry.CFD Industry CMO TenureDrops to Lowest Level Since 2014Thefindings come from an analysis of 50 data points covering 40 individual CMOsacross 38 companies in the CFD and online trading space between 2014 and 2024.The research, which examined LinkedIn profiles and announcements,paints a picture of an industry where marketing leadership struggles to gaintraction.Nearly 40%of the CMOs studied lasted less than one year in their roles, while only 4%managed to stay five years or longer. The average tenure of 22.4 months ispulled higher by a handful of longer-serving executives, but the median tells astarker story."2024showing the lowest average tenure in the entire dataset" suggests theproblem is getting worse, not better. The data shows no correlation betweencompany size and CMO turnover, with both large brokers and smaller firmsexperiencing similar churn rates.“Our aimwas to understand how long CMOs usually stay in these roles, why it’s so hardfor them to last long-term and what this says about leadership and marketing inthe online trading industry,” Christian Görgen from FYI commented on the report’sfindings.Perhapsmore telling is what happens after these marketing chiefs leave: 40% of thebrokers analyzed currently have no CMO in place following their previousexecutive's departure. Of the 40 brokers investigated, 16 had no one holdingthe official Chief Marketing Officer title at the time of review.Industry Structure CreatesImpossible ExpectationsTheresearch points to fundamental misalignment between what CMOs can deliver andwhat trading firm founders expect. Unlike technology startups that focus onuser engagement metrics, CFD brokers prioritize traditional financial KPIs likecustomer acquisition cost and lifetime value."Founderswant rapid user growth and quick revenue, often within months. But marketingisn't something you can switch on overnight," Görgen adds. This creates acycle where CMOs are brought in when growth stalls, expected to deliverimmediate results, then removed when quick fixes don't materialize.Especially since the CMO position is now the third-best-paid role in the industry, according to the latest data. Only financial and technology executives earn more. The average salary is currently €200,000 in Cyprus and nearly €230,000 in Dubai.Thecompetitive landscape doesn't help. Cyprus financial regulator CySEC lists 247approved domains as of July 2025, with most offering similar services:multi-asset access, fast execution, and tight spreads. This commoditizationmakes differentiation difficult and puts additional pressure on marketing teamsto find unique angles.Theresearch also highlights how heavily the industry relies on affiliatemarketing, with brokers often paying 25% to over 50% of their revenue toaffiliates and introducing brokers. While some affiliates provide legitimatevalue, the analysis describes a "darker side" involving "faketraffic, shady referrals and recycled client books."Successful MarketingLeaders Buck Traditional MoldThe fewCMOs who do succeed in online trading don't fit the typical marketing executiveprofile. The research found that effective marketing leaders in this space"tend to be hands-on, highly technical, and closely aligned with thetrading side of the business".Many comefrom within the company or have backgrounds in business, computer science, ortrading rather than traditional marketing disciplines. "They followstructured frameworks, focus on execution, and know when to turn up thevolume," the analysis states.Thissuggests the industry may need to rethink what it looks for in marketingleadership, moving away from brand-focused executives toward moreoperationally-minded professionals who understand the technical aspects oftrading platforms.Theresearch concludes that traditional CMO models aren't working in onlinetrading, and that sustainable change requires treating marketing as part ofcore business strategy rather than a support function brought in during growthemergencies.This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.