Julia Goldin named European CMO of the Year

The award was presented during a ceremony held alongside the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and was selected by marketing professionals from across Europe

Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group, has been named the first recipient of the European CMO of the Year award, a recognition created to honour marketing leaders who have demonstrated excellence in cross-border marketing across Europe.

The award was presented during a ceremony held alongside the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and was selected by marketing professionals from across Europe.

New award recognises marketing leadership

The European CMO of the Year initiative was established by Serviceplan Group, Samsung Ads, The Trade Desk, SevenOneMedia and the University of St. Gallen, with support from a range of industry and media partners.

The award aims to recognise Chief Marketing Officers who set standards for strategic marketing leadership, creativity and business impact across multiple European markets.

Prof. Dr. Sven Reinecke, Director of the Institute of Marketing and Customer Insight at the University of St. Gallen: "Julia Goldin sets the benchmark for modern marketing leadership in Europe: strategic, creative and culturally relevant. She has transformed the LEGO brand far beyond its product category into a cultural icon, demonstrating how brands today can drive both growth and relevance."

LEGO expands brand reach under Goldin

During her tenure, the LEGO Group has expanded its presence across entertainment, gaming and sport through partnerships with major franchises including Star Wars, Marvel, Harry Potter and Fortnite.

The company has also developed campaigns linked to Formula 1 and football, while initiatives such as She Built That have focused on inclusion and audience engagement.

Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer, LEGO Group: "This is a great recognition for the brand and the role it plays in people's lives. I’m deeply grateful to the many teams, partners and collaborators around the world who bring this to life every day – this honour truly belongs to them."

Marketing community selected the winner

The selection process began with nominations from more than 800 marketing leaders across 15 European countries and regions. The final winner was chosen by participants in the CMO Barometer study.

The award's organisers said the process was designed to ensure the recognition was determined by marketing peers and supported by academic oversight from the University of St. Gallen.

Ceremony held alongside Cannes Lions

The presentation took place during an event attended by more than 100 senior marketing executives, alongside representatives from media, academia and business.

The programme also included a keynote presentation from AI strategist and author Nina Schick, who discussed the impact of artificial intelligence on creativity, innovation and brand leadership.

Florian Haller, CEO of Serviceplan Group: "Marketing is one of the most important drivers of growth and business success. Today, it influences the entire customer journey, from initial awareness to the final purchase decision. As a result, marketing contributes more directly and more measurably to business performance than ever before. With the European CMO of the Year Award, we want to recognise the achievements of the people who make this impact possible."

The European CMO of the Year award was introduced in 2026 and is based on nominations and voting from the marketing community, with the process academically supervised by the University of St. Gallen.

The CMO Barometer, which forms part of the selection process, is an annual study of senior marketers across 14 European countries and the Middle East. It is conducted by Serviceplan Group in collaboration with the University of St. Gallen and executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles.

www.lego.com

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