11 marketing leaders who put social media first

According to The 2025 Sprout Social Index,™ around three-quarters of marketing leaders say organic and paid social media marketing are top priorities for their organization. But many practitioners are skeptical, as they struggle to secure the headcount and resources they need.

To be a marketing leader who fully understands social’s potential, you need trusted inspiration and guidance. We’ve curated a list of 11 marketing leaders charging toward a new age of business—one with social positioned firmly at the center.

Turn to this list when you need a fresh perspective on building a cutting edge marketing plan and real world examples of social-first strategy.

Tulani André, VP of Social, National Geographic

Tulani André is the Vice President of Social Media at National Geographic, a brand that boasts over 800 million followers on social. Yes, you read that right.

National Geographic is a bonafide powerhouse in the media world. Their first published issue ran over 100 years ago, and they’ve continued blending a passion for nature and conversation with a deep understanding of their reader base to capture curiosity and inspire action.

André uses her passion for community building to not just grow National Geographic’s followers, but also tell compelling stories that get their audience engaged. Whether it’s offering advice to maintain a healthy diet or sharing videos about the daily lives of snowy owls.

André believes the synergy between National Geographic’s social content across platforms contributes to their success, and why building a loyal, active community can be more impactful than follower count. As she told Sprout Social’s Cat Anderson in an episode of Social Creatures, “Top-of-mind relevance is our focus. We are committed to growing engagement and loyalty, and reaching younger audiences.”

To keep up with André, follow her on LinkedIn, find her on stage at a marketing event near you and listen to her full episode of Social Creatures for more advice on building a social-first legacy brand.

Leslie Berland, CMO, Verizon

Leslie Berland is the CMO of Verizon, an iconic telecommunications company earning a reputation for best-in-class organic engagement on social.

The recipe for Verizon’s success is rooted in bold creative and taking big swings, while still folding in relatability and flexibility. They find moments to participate in (and create) culture on social, and pave new paths forward for their brand.

Under Berland’s leadership, the social team has the space to reach new creative heights, while leaning into data-driven insights. Her approach to social-first marketing helped her earn a 2024 Adweek Marketing Vanguard Award. She regularly shares highlights from her team’s latest marketing campaigns on LinkedIn—from IRL events to billboard campaigns to influencer partnerships.

Stay connected with Berland by following her on the platform and reading her thought leadership features.

Jo Boundy, CMO, Commonwealth Bank

Commonwealth Bank CMO Jo Boundy has a background that spans multiple industries, is a repeat South by Southwest Sydney speaker and has firm views on outdated advertising best practices. As Boundy said on social, “What if I told you brands are getting advertising all wrong?…We need to stop interrupting and start being the entertainment.”

That bodes well for the approach Commonwealth Bank takes to entertainment and edutainment content. The multinational bank is well-known for its sports marketing tactics on social and IRL—including sponsoring Australia’s women’s football team, the Matildas, and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

In fact, the media has recognized CommBank, as they’re affectionately known, for being the best integrated advertisers in Australia. With Boundy’s direction, the company has become intertwined with sport and women’s football in a way no other brand ever has. Follow her for the latest on using entertainment to deepen brand communities on social and beyond.

Nicola Jones, Head of Digital & Social Media, Aldi UK

Aldi UK’s Head of Digital and Social Media, Nicola Jones, is the leader behind one of the internet’s wildest personas that delivers some of the industry’s best social ROI. The UK branch of the international grocer recently won two 2024 Effie Awards for Social Media, including one for Sustained Success.

As Jones said in a recent LinkedIn post, “These wins reflect the culmination of a clear, long-term sustainable strategy that’s been at the heart of everything we’ve delivered. While it may seem like we’re just out here cracking jokes for laughs (and yes, that may have been the case at times!), the truth is our social content has consistently delivered some of the highest ROI across Aldi’s marketing efforts.”

Like Jones alluded to, the brand has mastered an unhinged persona on platforms like X and Threads, winning over audiences and effortlessly joining trending conversations. Aldi UK is cemented not only in online culture, but in the minds of their loyal followers and customers.

Though Jones recently announced she was leaving the company, you can stay in the loop on her next chapter by following her on LinkedIn.

Nathan Jun Poekert, CMO, General Idea

Nathan Jun Poekert has built a name for himself on LinkedIn. With more than 40,000 followers on the platform, Jun Poekert is well known as an expert in organic, influencer and paid social strategy.

After serving as Head of Social, Content & Digital Innovation at American Eagle, he transitioned to consulting brands on their social strategies, and building a reputation as a thought leader and creator. He pivoted his social experience into the role of CMO at General Idea, a brand agency behind major fashion moments.

Even while juggling his new position, Jun Poekert remains an active online personality and creator. His posts examine the philosophical and ethical questions of working in social, while walking followers through the true best practices of running a successful brand presence.

To stay connected with Jun Poekert, follow him on social and rewatch some of our favorite webinars he took part in, including Navigating Social in an Election Year and Under the Brand-fluence.

Todd Kaplan, CMO, Kraft Heinz North America

Todd Kaplan is the CMO of Kraft Heinz North America, and has helped the brand usher in a new era of transformation in the digital landscape. As he told Adweek, his style of leadership helps his team “find the sweet spot between creativity and business objectives.”

Kaplan has been recognized by Forbes and Business Insider as a top CMO, and was even called a “Marketing Rockstar” by Rolling Stone. Kaplan spent most of his career helping PepsiCo grow and maintain cultural relevance. His move to Kraft Heinz in 2024 signifies a fresh start for the legacy brand, and is already translating to increased share of voice and online cultural competency.

On their social channels, Kraft brands like Kraft Mac & Cheese bring a distinct social-first flair to their content, like this video tutorial of how to serve their noodles “the right way.” Kaplan has shared in many interviews that he believes in balancing brand and performance marketing, and it’s clear the team is using that as a launch pad to unleash more brand building.

Keep up with Kaplan—a leader well-known for his laidback style and dedication to his favorite sports teams—on LinkedIn for highlights from his latest media appearances.

Kikora Mason, VP of Community & Social Media, JP Morgan Chase

Kikora Mason is the VP of Community and Social Media at JP Morgan Chase. The multinational financial services firm is 225 years old, yet still invests in new ways to connect and grow its community—which is key to its success over the centuries.

In her role, Mason leads a team focused exclusively on social listening and community management. She reviews trend analyses on a daily basis—always on the lookout for real-time engagement opportunities. As she told us when we interviewed her for an article about social media executive career growth, “It’s always important to know your target audience and base your strategy on what will resonate with them and fulfill your objectives.”

But JP Morgan Chase doesn’t chase trends for the sake of it, or run on the trend cycle hamster wheel. Instead, they take a measured approach and wait for opportunities that align with their brand. Mason advised, “The internet never holds back when a brand is being inauthentic.”

Follow Mason on LinkedIn, where she shares takeaways from leadership panels she participates in and offers advice to young marketers.

Taylor Montgomery, CMO, Taco Bell

Taco Bell’s CMO Taylor Montgomery has been at the helm of the brand’s marketing presence during their biggest social media moments—from recruiting Doja Cat to bringing back Mexican Pizza. Montgomery champions approaching social like a user instead of a brand, a strategy that seems to be paying off.

Under Montgomery’s leadership, the brand has consistently grown, and this growth has been directly tied to Taco Bell’s ambitious digital marketing strategy.

On social, the brand builds hype for their latest menu drops and collections, influencer and celebrity partnerships, and conjures up strong feelings of affinity and nostalgia.

Follow Montgomery for the latest and greatest from Taco Bell’s marketing efforts and overviews of his thought leadership interviews.

Scott Morris, CMO, Sprout Social

Sprout’s CMO Scott Morris is a top marketing leader to watch (but we might be biased). With Morris’ leadership, Sprout has developed a robust influencer marketing program, launched a new digital launch event motion, crafted a “customer zero” content series and attributed more revenue than ever to social efforts.

Morris often pushes our social team to think beyond tried-and-true B2B marketing formulas, a testament to his brand-building expertise.

On LinkedIn, he shares wins from our campaigns, the latest product launches, and his takeaways about the value of social and social insights. Follow him there to stay current, and read his growing library of articles on our blog.

Josh Rangel, Senior Director of Social Media, Ogilvy

As a Senior Director of Social Media at Ogilvy, Josh Rangel brings almost 20 years of social media experience to his client work. Under his leadership, his team builds award-winning campaigns for some of the world’s most well-known brands.

Rangel is also a member of our Index Council, a cohort of social marketers and thought leaders who helped us shape our data into the 2025 Index report. Rangel illuminated how he advocates for more resources for social when we interviewed him: “Budget shouldn’t be a dirty word. Speak plain language that ties social media performance back to business results. Keep it simple and focus on: 1) bringing the receipts, 2) positioning social as a laboratory for testing and learning, and 3) sharing the cost of not being part of the conversation.”

On LinkedIn, Rangel shares more about the experience of speaking up for more resources and his observations about the latest trends, plus relatable memes that capture the sentiment of the industry and a relatable POV only social marketers can understand.

Sarah Thomas, CMO, Caudalie

When Sarah Thomas began her career as the Social Media Manager at Caudalie Americas in 2020, it might’ve seemed unimaginable that she would rise up the ranks to CMO in just four years. But that’s exactly what happened—reinforcing the important role social plays at the epicenter of all marketing functions, and how career paths will evolve in light of social’s upward trajectory.

On LinkedIn, Thomas shares some of the brand’s biggest marketing highlights and takeaways from social that inform her new role, like the importance of reinventing your brand identity.

During her tenure as Social Media Manager, the brand became a Gen Z darling, popping up in get ready with me videos all over TikTok. In fact, one of their most popular serums is sold every 30 seconds.

The 30 year-old beauty brand has just as much equity and loyalty as some newer emergent brands, proving just how well Thomas led Caudalie to reach new audiences and grow affinity. Follow her on LinkedIn for more on the future of this brand, and her unexpected career path.

Fill your feed with marketing leaders’ insights

These marketing leaders are redefining the role of social media in modern business strategies. From legacy brands embracing innovation to trailblazers pushing creative boundaries, they offer inspiration and actionable lessons to guide your own social-first journey.

By following their work and learning from their successes, you can fuel your own growth and keep your marketing plans ahead of the curve. Fill your feed with their expertise to stay connected to the cutting edge of social media marketing.

For more on building a compelling case for more resources and mapping out a career path that will match where social is headed, read The 2025 Sprout Social Index™.