Annual award celebrates global and regional marketers and the work they do to strengthen their brands and businesses.  

The 2026 WFA Global Marketer of the Year seeks nominations for global and regional marketers who can demonstrate their part in driving their businesses and the industry forward.

Nominations should show how the nominee has displayed outstanding leadership in two or more of the following four areas:

1. Driving initiatives that contribute to business growth;
2. Developing talent and capabilities within their marketing organisations;
3. Delivering stand-out innovation and creativity; and
4. Demonstrating industry leadership, for example in relation to inclusion and environmental sustainability.

Marketers have until November 2^nd to nominate the peers they believe have inspired their brands, delivered growth and shown industry leadership during 2026.

Past winners include Cheryl Goh (Grab), Marcel Marcondes (AB InBev), Asmita Dubey (L’Oréal), Cristina Diezhandino (Diageo), and Marc Pritchard (P&G).  

As last year, nominees will be judged entirely by a jury of peers (to be announced soon), which will not only select the finalists but also gather in January 2027 to debate who should win, ahead of a private vote. WFA CEO Stephan Loerke will chair the jury.

The finalists will be announced in December, with the winner named in February 2027.

This year’s Global Marketer of the Year is supported by The Drum. The award is open to any client-side marketer in a senior global or regional position who has worked for their company for a minimum of two years, and nominations can be made atglobalmarketeroftheyear.com.

“In a complex and fast-moving environment, the marketers who cut through are those who combine commercial impact with creativity, talent development and a genuine sense of responsibility to the wider industry. This award exists to celebrate exactly those people, and we can’t wait to see who our community puts forward this year,” said Stephan Loerke, CEO, WFA. 

“The Drum is delighted to continue our partnership with the WFA in celebrating the Global Marketer of the Year. The role of the marketer has rarely been more demanding. In 2026, leaders are balancing the pressure to deliver growth with rapid technological shifts, changing consumer expectations and the need to build brands that have a meaningful impact beyond the bottom line. This award recognizes those who set the standard for our industry. We’re looking forward to seeing this year’s nominations and celebrating the global marketing leaders who are making a genuine difference,”said Jen Faull, Deputy Editor, The Drum.

WFA has been running Global Marketer of the Year since 2017, with 2026 marking its 10th edition. Last year’s winner was Cheryl Goh, Global Chief Marketing & Consumer Officer at Grab. Other winners include Marcel Marcondes, Global Chief Marketing Officer at AB InBev, Asmita Dubey, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer at L’Oréal, Cristina Diezhandino, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Diageo, and Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer at P&G.