In the Shoes of a CMO

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Arnaud Delubac (Greenly): “We Must Move from a Hypergrowth Model to a Profitable Growth Model”

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At Greenly, marketing objectives have undergone a major transformation. As co-founder and CMO of the climate scale-up, Arnaud Delubac now leads a function that has shifted from aggressive expansion to a rigorously performance-driven discipline. In a dense and highly competitive global market, the company—now supporting 3,500 organizations—has executed a significant strategic pivot.

Rapid profitability, constant trade-offs, and increased productivity powered by AI: this new framework is reshaping the daily reality of marketing and redefining the CMO’s role. Arnaud Delubac reflects on this change in direction and how Greenly has reorganized its priorities.

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What are your main challenges today as a CMO?

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Arnaud Delubac: During the first five years, our strategy was to occupy as much space as possible. We had to operate at very high intensity to fuel 14 industry sub-verticals while simultaneously targeting both SMB and Enterprise segments. That required massive asset production to reach C-level personas—from Sustainability Managers to CFOs and CEOs—across every format: white papers, reports, videos, podcasts, and owned media.

This battle of volume enabled us to become the world’s leading carbon accounting solution and to establish a strong brand.

Today, we are shifting paradigms to prioritize efficiency. The challenge is now more operational: breaking down silos and moving from volume-based production to smart 360° distribution, built on repurposing and atomizing our best content to maximize ROI. Every initiative, every piece of content, every event is evaluated through the lens of profitability. This requires much higher standards in execution, targeting, and measurement.

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How has AI transformed the way you approach marketing?

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A.D.: Concretely, AI has become a central lever for us. I dissected our marketing value chain to delegate all preparatory work to machines. Today, with tools like Dust, Notion, or Gemini—trained on our own knowledge base and tone of voice—the preparatory phase is instantaneous. Web page briefs are automated, dense reports are turned into snackable content in a few clicks, LinkedIn posts are edited within minutes.

That said, inspiration does not come from ease—it comes from rigor. AI frees us from operational tasks so we can focus on what truly matters: strategy and critical thinking. It forces us to become better.

Prompting an AI is exactly like briefing an agency: if your brief is unclear or your context is weak, the result will be mediocre. Using AI is therefore a discipline in rigor. That’s why I often say: disorganized profiles will struggle. Conversely, those who can structure their thinking and demand excellence will become unstoppable. AI does not level down—it widens the gap between those who endure execution and those who master vision.

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How do you train your teams on these new tools without creating resistance?

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A.D.: That’s the most delicate part: overcoming fear. When team members tell me, “If I use AI, I’ll stop using my brain,” I respond: “No—you’ll just stop rubbing two stones together to make fire when you already have a lighter in your pocket.” AI doesn’t replace the spark; it removes unnecessary friction.

To convince them, I don’t rely on theory—I rely on proof. I take a time-consuming task and solve it in front of them. Take our podcast interviews: preparing a quality script used to take 7 to 8 hours. Today, it’s done in two hours max, and both guests and listeners praise the depth and relevance of the questions.

To get there, I showed the team the importance of iteration. I shared my prompts, we tested different approaches. We tried “journalistic” and “expert” tones that didn’t quite work. Then we attempted something more unconventional: “Adopt the tone and tenacity of Léa Salamé on France Inter.” The model immediately captured the rhythm, the art of follow-up, the energy.

That’s what I want to pass on: these kinds of hacks aren’t learned in textbooks. You have to test, fail, identify what works, and turn it into process.

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How do you arbitrate between in-house and outsourced capabilities?

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A.D.: The decision depends on the density of expertise. On technical functions (development, video, design), we outsource because these are specialist fields where we need flexibility. For example, we manage a website with over 100 pages in four languages with a single internal developer coordinating freelancers.

However, on content, we made a radical pivot: zero outsourcing. We stopped working with Junior Enterprises and writing agencies. The current trap is paying for content that a provider generates in three seconds on ChatGPT without verification.

In an AI-saturated world, verified human expertise becomes the safe asset. Google detects it. Readers do too. We use AI to move faster, but the expert layer validating carbon nuances must remain internal. Outsourcing content today means risking brand dilution.

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What qualities do you now look for in your marketers?

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A.D.: One of the most important skills today is AI mastery. It’s no longer optional—it’s essential. We’ve evolved roles accordingly: a Content Manager becomes, for instance, an AI Content Manager, because daily work now involves constant interaction with AI.

During interviews, I explicitly test AI usage: how candidates use it, how much time they spend on it, how they structure their prompts. Some treat it as a search engine; others truly master iteration and feedback.

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How do you manage your dual role as co-founder and CMO?

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A.D.: This dual role brings a major difference: skin in the game. I don’t manage a marketing budget allocated by a superior—I manage my own company’s cash flow. That changes everything. When I cut a tool, execute cost-killing, or challenge a proposal, I do it with radical ROI discipline. I manage every euro as if it were my own money. Few CMOs can impose that level of financial rigor with such authority.

Operationally, we structured the team to sustain the workload. Our Head of Growth was promoted to VP Marketing. He ensures 360° consistency and oversees daily operations. That allows me to dedicate the remaining 30% of my time to my current battle: breaking silos.

As we scaled quickly, “baronies” emerged—product on one side, sales on another, marketing in between. My role as co-founder enables me to act as a sentinel, breaking down these organizational silos. By staying involved in strategic negotiations with major accounts, I ensure our marketing tools remain powerful sales weapons rather than creative gadgets.

My position allows me to move across functions, detect weak signals, and ensure strategy flows without friction. I’m not here to do everything—I’m here to be the essential link between vision, execution, and profitability.

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