Marketing’s High-Stakes Moment: Reinvent or Be Replaced

Marketing leaders are under more pressure than ever before—and the stakes have never been higher. Flat budgets and shrinking program spend collide with headcount-heavy cost structures that limit flexibility. The result is a resource paradox: deliver more with less, but with fewer levers to pull. Incremental changes aren’t enough.

At the same time, the promise of technology has fallen short. Martech adoption has plummeted even as investment grows, integration issues persist, and AI’s potential remains unrealized mainly without the right skills and organizational adjustments. The tools exist, but the impact hasn’t materialized.

The deeper problem is structural. With over 60% of budgets locked in personnel, linear cost economics, and service delivery models that lag behind IT, Finance, and Operations, marketing too often lacks the agility and credibility of an equal business partner. In this session, Domenic Colasante, CEO of 2X, will challenge today’s operating model and share a new framework for rethinking marketing as a global services organization. He’ll unpack how leaders can break free of budget gravity, unlock unrealized technology value, and reposition marketing as a valid business driver.

About the Speaker:
Domenic Colasante is the CEO of 2X, a firm redefining how B2B organizations run marketing by delivering it as a global service. A recognized thought leader and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner, Domenic has built his career around transforming marketing from a cost center into a revenue driver.

Before launching 2X, he held senior roles at SAP, Siemens, and other leading firms, where he drove innovation in demand generation, marketing operations, and data-driven growth. He pairs that experience with an MBA from Villanova University and a relentless focus on efficiency, scale, and impact. An Eagle Scout and lifelong advocate for leadership and community, Domenic brings both rigor and purpose to how he thinks about the future of marketing.