Mastercard Taps Accenture’s Jill Kramer as Global CMO
Jill Kramer will take over from longtime marketing head Raja Rajamannar, as Mastercard sharpens focus on data-driven media and personalization.
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Mastercard Inc. has named Jill Kramer its new Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, succeeding Raja Rajamannar, who will transition to a senior fellow role after more than a decade leading the company’s brand strategy.
Kramer, who most recently held the top marketing post at consulting giant Accenture Plc, will assume the role on 1 December, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. She joins as Mastercard seeks to expand its presence in digital media and AI-driven personalization.
“Jill brings deep experience in global marketing and a clear track record of building relevance at scale,” Chief Executive Officer Michael Miebach said. “Her leadership will help steer Mastercard through its next phase of growth and innovation.”
Kramer spent nearly 10 years at Accenture, rising to become Chief Marketing and Communications Officer in 2021.
She led brand strategy, advertising, media and communications globally, helping the company boost its brand value from $12 billion to $20.9 billion, according to Interbrand rankings.
Before Accenture, Kramer held senior roles at major ad agencies including BBDO and DDB, with clients spanning telecom, energy and enterprise software. She has been named to Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Most Influential CMOs multiple times and sits on the board of the Ad Council.
Kramer takes over at a time when Mastercard is investing heavily in data-driven marketing and commerce platforms. Earlier this year, the company launched Mastercard Commerce Media, a digital network designed to let brands use Mastercard’s anonymized transaction data to serve targeted ads across channels.
Rajamannar, who joined Mastercard in 2013, played a central role in reshaping the company’s brand identity, expanding the “Priceless” campaign, and introducing multisensory branding elements such as Mastercard’s sonic logo.
He also helped launch products like the True Name card, which allows transgender and non-binary individuals to display their chosen names.
He will continue to advise Mastercard in a newly created senior fellow role, a move the company said will ensure continuity during the leadership transition.
“Raja transformed the way we think about marketing,” Miebach said. “His work helped Mastercard become one of the most admired and trusted brands globally.”
Kramer’s appointment underscores the growing strategic role of marketing in the payments sector, where firms compete not only on transaction processing but on the ability to personalize services, build consumer trust, and offer value beyond payments.
Mastercard, which operates in over 200 countries, has been leaning on its data and analytics businesses to drive incremental growth. In recent quarters, the company has signaled that media and marketing will become bigger revenue contributors as it builds out adjacent platforms.
Kramer will report directly to Miebach and be part of Mastercard’s management committee.
