Best Fractional CMOs for Manufacturing Companies

Fractional CMO Services for Manufacturing Companies

In today’s manufacturing world, marketing has become just as critical as machinery. From advanced robotics to precision engineering and supply chain optimization, manufacturing companies now compete not just on production efficiency — but on brand differentiation, trust, and visibility.

That’s where Fractional CMOs (Chief Marketing Officers) step in — seasoned marketing strategists who bring executive-level marketing leadership to growing manufacturing businesses without the full-time cost of a permanent CMO.

Across the globe, these professionals help manufacturing brands communicate complex capabilities in simple, compelling ways — turning technical expertise into customer-centric stories that drive real growth. Whether your firm specializes in industrial automation, automotive parts, aerospace components, or sustainable packaging, Fractional CMOs help you align strategy, storytelling, and sales enablement.

At Digital Reference, we understand that manufacturing marketing lives at the crossroads of precision, technology, and trust. Our mission is to curate and spotlight top consultants who have mastered the balance between technical storytelling and market positioning — experts who don’t just help you get noticed, but help you grow responsibly.

Our Methodology: How We Selected These Manufacturing Company Fractional CMOs

Selecting the right Fractional CMO is about far more than credentials. It’s about strategic alignment, proven results, and deep industry understanding.

At Digital Reference, our vetting process involves:

🔍 Rigorous Research — We analyze each consultant’s professional track record, leadership experience, and portfolio of results across manufacturing clients.

💬 Client Insights — We assess testimonials, case studies, and measurable impact — ensuring each expert demonstrates tangible outcomes, not just polished presentations.

📈 Sector-Specific Expertise — Each CMO featured specializes in manufacturing or industrial B2B sectors, demonstrating a strong grasp of long sales cycles, channel marketing, and product positioning in technical markets.

🌍 Global Representation — We showcase professionals from North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia — reflecting the global nature of manufacturing and the increasingly international scope of marketing strategy.

This isn’t a ranking. It’s a curated celebration of excellence — featuring professionals whose marketing strategies build bridges between factories and customers, technology and trust, process and purpose.

🌟 Meet the Fractional CMOs Best for Manufacturing Companies

Below are visionary marketing leaders transforming how manufacturing brands communicate, scale, and compete.

♦️ Sara Bowen

Founder of Cobalt Consulting
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

Sara Bowen is the creative force behind Consulting Cobalt, a boutique consultancy dedicated to helping manufacturing and industrial brands transition into the digital age. With over 15 years of experience, Sara has developed go-to-market frameworks that merge data analytics with brand storytelling.

Sara’s approach is uniquely pragmatic — she builds strategies that make complex B2B manufacturing propositions accessible, and she’s known for helping firms communicate how their technologies make a difference in customers’ real-world operations.

✨ Highlights:

💡 Designed demand generation systems for precision engineering firms expanding into Asia-Pacific

🧠 Led rebranding campaigns integrating sustainability messaging into traditional manufacturing narratives

🚀 Built multi-channel digital funnels that increased qualified leads by over 40% for mid-market manufacturers

Sara’s strategic clarity and empathetic leadership style make her a sought-after Fractional CMO for companies navigating industrial transformation.

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♦️ Rich Witmer

Founder & CEO of Witmer Integrated Marketing, LLC. 

🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

Rich Witmer brings a wealth of experience in B2B marketing, analytics, and digital enablement. Through the Witmer Group, he helps manufacturers modernize their marketing operations — blending automation, web optimization, and data intelligence into high-impact campaigns.

With clients ranging from industrial distributors to precision manufacturers, Rich is known for his hands-on approach — collaborating directly with executive teams to ensure marketing strategy aligns with corporate growth goals.

✨ Highlights:

📊 Engineered KPI-based dashboards for better visibility across sales pipelines

🔄 Implemented CRM automation workflows for multi-division manufacturing firms

💬 Created thought-leadership platforms that turned engineers into brand ambassadors

Rich’s ability to connect analytics with storytelling positions him as one of the most adaptable Fractional CMOs in the industrial space.

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♦️ Robert (Bob) Islinger

Senior Managing Partner at INVIGOREN LLC
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

Bob Islinger of Invigoren is a marketing visionary who understands that manufacturing growth relies on strategy as much as production. His career spans leadership roles in marketing, business development, and executive consulting, helping organizations scale sustainably.

Bob’s approach integrates leadership coaching with strategic marketing, making him a trusted advisor for firms aiming to unify culture, operations, and brand.

✨ Highlights:

🧭 Guided enterprise-level digital transformation for global manufacturers

📈 Helped align sales, R&D, and marketing teams under a unified brand narrative

🤝 Known for building brand ecosystems that strengthen B2B trust networks

Through Invigoren, Bob and his team provide clarity and measurable results to manufacturing organizations looking to define their next era of growth.

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♦️ Dacia (Connelly) Coffey

CEO of The Marketing Blender
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

Dacia Coffey, CEO of The Marketing Blender, is one of the most recognized names in B2B manufacturing marketing. She’s known for bringing energy, empathy, and entrepreneurial precision to every project.

Dacia’s firm helps manufacturers develop revenue-driven marketing systems that directly support sales growth. Her background in sales and branding uniquely positions her to bridge the communication gap between marketing teams and the executive suite.

✨ Highlights:

🚀 Helped industrial firms achieve 200% lead-to-sale growth through strategic funnel alignment

🧩 Expert in developing value-proposition models for manufacturing innovation

🎯 Speaker and thought leader on marketing performance in technical industries

Dacia’s passion for empowering leadership and driving measurable business results makes her a standout Fractional CMO in the manufacturing sector.

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♦️ Alicja Spaulding

Founder & Chief Marketing Officer of Status Alpha
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

Alicja Spaulding is redefining manufacturing marketing through her firm, Status Alpha — where creativity meets analytics. With roots in technology and industrial marketing, Alicja specializes in developing AI-enhanced marketing systems that streamline growth for B2B manufacturers.

✨ Highlights:

🤖 Pioneered AI-driven content strategies for advanced manufacturing clients

💬 Known for humanizing highly technical B2B brands

📊 Developed modular marketing frameworks enabling faster scalability across markets

Alicja’s innovative approach embodies the future of manufacturing marketing — agile, intelligent, and insight-driven.

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♦️ Mira Varathan

Founder & Fractional Marketing Leader at Neo Jupiter Marketing / Fractional CMO at MIRAV STRATEGY & MARKETING
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website 1 | 🌐 Website 2

Based in Australia, Mira Varathan is the mind behind NeoJupiter and MiraV Marketing, where she leads manufacturing and industrial companies into the era of sustainable and digital-first branding.

✨ Highlights:

🌱 Led brand repositioning for green manufacturing firms in Asia-Pacific

📈 Expert in integrating sustainability communication into core marketing strategies

💡 Regularly advises on cross-functional collaboration between marketing and production teams

Mira’s blend of creativity and operational awareness makes her a rare asset for manufacturers balancing innovation and responsibility.

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♦️ Katerina (Zherinova) May

Fractional CMO & Marketing Strategist & Brand Architect
🔗 LinkedIn

Katerina M. is a global B2B strategist who helps manufacturers modernize their outreach through digital transformation. With experience across European and North American markets, she’s guided numerous industrial brands through repositioning and international expansion.

✨ Highlights:

🌍 Developed multilingual campaign frameworks for European manufacturing exporters

💬 Expert in LinkedIn growth and authority positioning for technical executives

🚀 Drives marketing transformation that merges automation with brand authenticity

Her ability to bridge cultures and industries makes her a go-to resource for globally minded manufacturers.

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♦️ Alexei Romanov

Fractional CMO & B2B Marketing Strategist
🔗 LinkedIn

Alexei Romanov is a full-stack B2B digital marketer who helps technical and industrial brands grow revenue through full-funnel marketing and strategic brand architecture. With 10+ years of experience, he specializes in making complex products discoverable, understandable, and market-ready.

✨ Highlights:

‍🧠 Paid Media & SEO — Google & LinkedIn campaigns plus technical SEO for complex products

⚙️ Marketing Automation Strategy — CRM journeys, lead scoring, and conversion-focused email flows

🛒 B2B E-Commerce Growth — CRO for product catalogs and digital storefronts

🎥 Content Strategy & Video — Trust-building case studies, stories, and technical explainers

📐 Brand Management — Positioning, narrative design, and identity systems for technical brands

Alexei’s mix of strategic brand leadership, performance marketing, and AI-optimized operations positions him as a trusted guide for B2B companies aiming to scale with clarity and measurable impact.

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♦️ River Milnes

Fractional CMO and Senior Product Marketing Manager at Peak Digital Marketing
🔗 LinkedIn

River is a Fractional CMO who works directly with manufacturing, mining, heavy industrial, and tech companies to reshape brand positioning, develop & execute marketing strategies, and drive demand. He builds and manages comprehensive marketing systems that win over the hearts and minds of the target market.

✨ Highlights:

💬 Led full rebrands and go-to-market launches for manufacturing, mining and industrial companies, aligning leadership, sales and product teams around clear commercial positioning

📊 Delivered comprehensive digital ecosystems (Webflow/WordPress sites, SEO, content, paid media, CRM and automation) that consistently produce strong ROI, healthy site performance and multi-million-dollar pipelines

🚀 Created corporate communications, tender responses and sales materials that translate complex technical specifications into clear business value for enterprise and government decision-makers

River excels at collaborating with engineers, site teams, and executives, effectively bridging the gap between technical details and commercial outcomes.

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♦️ George Zeidan

Co-Founder & Managing Partner, CMO Angels
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

George Zeidan is the co-founder of CMO Angels, a Dubai-based firm specializing in marketing strategy for industrial and manufacturing clients across the Middle East. His work combines high-level strategy with operational precision.

✨ Highlights:

🌍 Led digital transformation campaigns for multinational manufacturing enterprises

🧩 Focuses on aligning digital ecosystems with sales and distribution networks

🧠 Known for mentoring marketing leaders in emerging markets

George’s global perspective helps manufacturers scale with agility and purpose.

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♦️ Lucas Hale

Fractional/Interim CTO/CPO/CMO
🔗 LinkedIn

Lucas Hale works at the intersection of storytelling and analytics. With a history of leading digital transformation projects for industrial firms, Lucas helps companies redefine what modern manufacturing marketing looks like.

✨ Highlights:

⚙️ Builds go-to-market playbooks for advanced manufacturing firms

📈 Developed integrated data dashboards improving campaign ROI visibility

💬 Recognized for simplifying complex product stories into human-centered messaging

Lucas’s strength lies in translating manufacturing expertise into clear, engaging narratives that resonate globally.

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♦️ Tania Bennett

Founder & Managing Director of Bennett Biz
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

Based in Australia, Tania Bennett combines sharp business acumen with creative direction to help manufacturing firms scale sustainably. Through Bennett Biz, she provides fractional CMO services emphasizing strategy, structure, and scalability.

✨ Highlights:

🧭 Guided digital marketing overhauls for packaging and logistics manufacturers

📊 Specializes in B2B funnel optimization and lead-nurturing automation

💡 Mentors marketing managers to transition into leadership roles

Tania’s strength lies in connecting leadership strategy with actionable marketing plans that generate real business outcomes.

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♦️ Julia Mytrokhina

Fractional CMO & Growth Strategy Consultant
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

Julia Mytrokhina is a global marketing strategist who helps manufacturing and industrial companies elevate their commercial capability and compete on a global stage. With 15+ years of experience, she brings a rare blend of brand strategy, digital acceleration, and commercial discipline that drives measurable revenue and market growth.

✨ Highlights:

🌍 Scaled manufacturing brands across Europe, Asia, and the Pacific, including P&L responsibility and margin optimisation

📈 Built modern inbound, digital, and automation systems that increased qualified leads, reduced CAC, and strengthened dealer and sales pipelines

🏆 Developed integrated brand, digital, and product marketing frameworks that expanded export markets and accelerated international growth

💬 Speaker on modernising B2B marketing in technical and traditional industries

Julia’s work proves that even the most technical or legacy sectors can achieve global competitiveness when brand, data, and customer insight are aligned to a clear commercial strategy

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♦️ Claire Poole

CEO of Clairify Communications Inc.

🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

Claire Poole is a Canadian marketing strategist who brings clarity and focus to complex B2B manufacturing brands. Through her consultancy, Clairify, she empowers industrial firms to simplify their messaging while amplifying their impact.

✨ Highlights:

🧩 Builds brand frameworks for high-growth industrial startups

💡 Recognized for creative positioning in sustainability and clean tech

📊 Expert in aligning website architecture with content marketing strategy

Claire’s collaborative style and practical marketing insight make her a favorite among engineering-driven teams.

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♦️ Laura Boyer

Co-Founder & Marketing Strategist of BlackBean Marketing
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

At BlackBean Marketing, Laura Boyer has redefined what B2B storytelling can look like for manufacturers. With a background in branding and business development, she creates powerful brand identities that connect people, purpose, and production.

✨ Highlights:

🎨 Directed brand identity transformations for major manufacturing suppliers

💬 Known for developing empathetic messaging for technical audiences

🚀 Builds strong marketing-sales alignment strategies for industrial clients

Laura’s creative yet grounded approach turns manufacturing brands into unforgettable industry voices.

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♦️ Andy Friedman

Founder of Chicago Fractional CMO
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

Andy Friedman is a Fractional CMO based in Chicago with a passion for helping mid-sized manufacturing companies evolve from product-focused to customer-focused organizations. With over two decades of experience, he’s known for implementing measurable, system-based marketing programs.

✨ Highlights:

⚙️ Developed customer lifecycle systems that improved retention rates by 35%

🧠 Combines psychology, marketing, and analytics for integrated decision-making

🌟 Regular speaker on modern B2B marketing innovation

Andy’s practical, data-driven methods make him a trusted partner for industrial companies modernizing their brand strategies.

Final Thoughts: How Fractional CMOs are Shaping Manufacturing’s Future

The manufacturing world is changing faster than ever — and marketing is now a driving force behind that transformation. The professionals above are redefining what success looks like: clarity of message, strength of strategy, and depth of human connection.

From AI-driven insights to storytelling rooted in engineering, these Fractional CMOs bridge the gap between complex manufacturing systems and the customers who depend on them.

At Digital Reference, we take pride in celebrating these changemakers. Our platform connects organizations with marketing leaders who drive sustainable growth, innovation, and trust.

To learn more about our mission and see related insights, visit:

• Best Marketing Strategy Consulting Services in the USA
• Best Fractional CMOs in Melbourne
• Best Fractional CMOs in Toronto

Digital Reference exists to help businesses — from factories to fintech — find the right experts to lead with strategy, creativity, and measurable impact. Because great marketing doesn’t just sell products. It builds trust. It builds relationships. And in manufacturing — it builds the future.