Key Takeaways from the Marketing Institute Ireland CMO Summit 2026

Recently, Kieran O'Brien and Ger Hayden represented Core Optimisation at the Marketing Institute Ireland CMO Summit, hosted in the impressive new EY offices in Dublin. The event brought together some of Ireland's leading marketers, business leaders, and industry experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of marketing.

From customer insight and measurement to artificial intelligence and international growth, the day was packed with valuable perspectives. Here are some of the key themes that stood out.

Customer Insight Remains the Foundation of Growth

One of the most compelling presentations came from Dermot Crowley, outgoing CEO of Dalata Hotel Group. Reflecting on his leadership journey, he shared the story behind the growth and evolution of the Maldron Hotels and Clayton Hotels brands, as well as the group's recent sale.

Among the many lessons discussed was the importance of focusing on the metrics that matter. In hospitality, Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) remains a critical performance indicator, alongside the strategic value of direct bookings, a topic that resonates strongly with our own work across the hospitality sector.

Perhaps the most memorable takeaway, however, centred on customer understanding and data-driven decision making:

"The easiest way to lose money is to give customers what you think they want."

The message was clear. Sustainable growth comes from listening to customers, analysing behaviour, and using data to guide decisions rather than relying on assumptions.

Marketing Effectiveness Continues to Dominate Boardroom Priorities

The findings presented by Gemma Kelleher from The Irish Times as part of the latest Marketing Sentiment research provided an insightful snapshot of the current marketing landscape.

Encouragingly, proving marketing effectiveness emerged as the leading priority for marketers. At a time when organisations continue to face pressure to justify investment and demonstrate commercial impact, the ability to connect marketing activity with business outcomes has never been more important.

The research also highlighted a positive outlook for the year ahead, with more than three-quarters of marketers expecting budgets to remain stable or increase in 2027.

For agencies and in-house teams alike, the findings reinforce the growing importance of robust measurement, attribution, and performance reporting.

The Strategic Importance of Marketing Leadership

A lively fireside discussion with Michelle Spillane of Paddy Power reinforced something many marketers instinctively know but business leaders sometimes overlook.

The Chief Marketing Officer is one of the most significant value multipliers within an organisation.

As customer expectations continue to evolve and competition intensifies, marketing leaders are increasingly responsible not only for brand growth, but for driving revenue, customer experience, innovation, and long-term business value.

AI Adoption Must Be Built on Strong Data Foundations

Artificial Intelligence naturally featured prominently throughout the day, with an engaging panel discussion featuring Katie Flood and Bronagh Riordan from EY.

While much of the industry conversation around AI focuses on tools and technology, the discussion offered a more practical perspective on implementation and governance.

Several key lessons emerged:

• Organisations should be transparent about their use of AI, both internally and externally.
• Businesses should avoid becoming overly dependent on a single AI specialist whose departure could create a capability gap.
• AI success depends heavily on the quality and accessibility of organisational data.

One comment particularly resonated:

"Data is the oil of AI."

It's a principle we strongly recognise at Core Optimisation. As AI capabilities continue to advance, competitive advantage will increasingly come not from access to AI tools, but from the quality of the data powering them. This is a key reason why we continue to invest in our own specialist data and analytics capabilities.

International Growth Remains a Priority Despite Global Uncertainty

The final keynote from former Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney delivered a thoughtful assessment of the geopolitical and economic challenges facing businesses today.

While uncertainty remains a defining characteristic of the global economy, his message was ultimately optimistic. Despite political volatility, trade tensions, and shifting global dynamics, businesses remain committed to expansion and international growth opportunities.

The discussion highlighted that organisations continue to invest with confidence, recognising that long-term growth often requires looking beyond domestic markets even during periods of uncertainty.

Final Thoughts

The CMO Summit highlighted several themes that are becoming increasingly interconnected:

• Data-driven decision making is now fundamental to business success.
• Marketing effectiveness and measurement remain critical boardroom priorities.
• AI adoption must be accompanied by strong governance and data strategy.
• Customer insight continues to outperform assumption-driven decision making.
• Organisations maintain confidence in growth despite economic and political uncertainty.

A huge congratulations to Shane McGonigle MMII, Leah Golding and the team at Marketing Institute Ireland for delivering an excellent event and facilitating such thought-provoking discussion across the industry.