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    Who are the most influential voices in Martech / marketing ops?

    Updated October 19, 2026

    Key takeaway

    All four engines put Scott Brinker first, and Copilot and Google AI Mode describe him as the godfather of MarTech and editor of Chief Martec. David Raab is named by ChatGPT, Copilot and Google AI Mode, and Paul Roetzer and Tony Byrne by Copilot and Google AI Mode. Gemini and Google AI Mode also name Darrell Alfonso from the MOps Report voices list.

    Disagreement (1)

    Who ranks directly after Scott Brinker

    Verdict

    All four engines put Scott Brinker first, so the top answer is firm, with Gemini the only engine that leads one sample with Darrell Alfonso. Support for the second place is split between David Raab, Darrell Alfonso and Ann Handley.

    What engines actually searched

    The sub-queries each engine actually searched before answering.

    Cited, but not mentioned

    9 sites cite this answer without naming anyone

    Full responses

    5 of 5 engines that answered. Full stored text as captured, with dashes shown as hyphens. Nothing is summarised.

    ChatGPT174 characters · October 10, 2026
    1. Scott Brinker
    2. Ann Handley
    3. Andy Crestodina
    4. Christopher Penn
    5. Darrell Alfonso
    6. Frans Riemersma
    7. David Raab
    8. Matt Heinz
    9. Sheryl Schultz
    10. Sangram Vajre
    Gemini logo Gemini2,101 characters · October 10, 2026

    Here are the top 10 individual people ranked from most to least influential as prominent voices and leaders specifically driving the Martech (Marketing Technology) and Marketing Operations (MOps) spaces: Who are the most influential voices in Martech / marketing ops?

    1. Darrell Alfonso Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    2. Michael Rizzo Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    3. Sara McNamara Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    4. Edward Unthank Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    5. Justin Norris Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    6. Jeff Coveney Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    7. Scott Brinker Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    8. Naomi Liu Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    9. Crissy Saunders Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    10. Phil Gamache Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    Google AI Mode1,023 characters · October 10, 2026

    The top 10 most influential individual voices and leaders shaping the Martech and marketing operations (MOPs) space, ranked from most to least influential based on industry standing, framework contributions, and community leadership, are: Top 25 Marketing Ops Voices of 2026 - MOps Report

    1. Scott Brinker
    2. Darrell Alfonso
    3. Michael Rizzo
    4. Sara McNamara
    5. Edward Unthank
    6. Justin Norris
    7. Jeff Coveney
    8. Naomi Liu
    9. Crissy Saunders
    10. Phil Gamache Top 30 Marketing Experts & Influencers to Follow in 2026Who are the most…ting ops? · Marketing Operations | CiteGist

    Would you like a breakdown of the specific frameworks, communities, or publications associated with any of these individual leaders?

    Perplexity173 characters · October 19, 2026
    1. Scott Brinker
    2. Darrell Alfonso
    3. Christopher Penn
    4. Ann Handley
    5. Mark Schaefer
    6. Jay Baer
    7. Rand Fishkin
    8. Lee Odden
    9. Chandar Pattabhiram
    10. Joseph Puthussery
    Copilot logo Copilot4,713 characters · October 10, 2026

    Top 10 most influential voices in Martech / Marketing Operations (ranked):

    1. Scott Brinker

    2. David Raab

    3. Greg Kihlström

    4. Tony Byrne

    5. Michael Brenner

    6. Paul Roetzer

    7. James Hercher

    8. Anthony Katsur

    9. Ari Paparo

    10. Lori Goode

    Why these individuals stand out

    RankNameInfluence AreaWhy They Matter
    1Scott BrinkerMartech ecosystem, HubSpotKnown as the “Godfather of Martech”, creator of the Martech Landscape supergraphic, and editor of chiefmartec.com. His frameworks shape how enterprises design and govern marketing stacks.Top 10 Marketing Technology Thought Leaders in 2026 - The Agile Brand Guide®
    2David RaabCustomer Data Platforms (CDPs)Founder of the CDP Institute, coined the term “Customer Data Platform.” His definitions and research guide enterprise data unification strategies.Top 10 Marketing Technology Thought Leaders in 2026 - The Agile Brand Guide®
    3Greg KihlströmMarketing ops & CXConsultant, author, and speaker connecting Martech, customer experience, and operating models. Influences enterprise transformation projects.Top 10 Marketing Technology Thought Leaders in 2026 - The Agile Brand Guide®
    4Tony ByrneMartech vendor analysisFounder of Real Story Group, provides independent evaluations of Martech categories. His work helps enterprises choose technology wisely.[Top 30 Marketing Experts & Influencers to Follow in 2026
    5Michael BrennerContent-driven MartechCEO of Marketing Insider Group, former SAP VP. Author and thought leader on empathy-driven marketing operations.[Top 30 Marketing Experts & Influencers to Follow in 2026
    6Paul RoetzerAI in marketingFounder of Marketing AI Institute, pioneer in applying AI to marketing ops. His frameworks help teams adopt AI responsibly.[Top 30 Marketing Experts & Influencers to Follow in 2026
    7James HercherProgrammatic & Martech reportingAdExchanger journalist, widely respected for clear analysis of programmatic advertising and Martech convergence.Top 10 Influencers in AdTech & MarTech to Follow in 2026
    8Anthony KatsurIndustry standardsCEO of IAB Tech Lab, drives standards like OpenRTB and privacy frameworks that underpin Martech infrastructure.Top 10 Influencers in AdTech & MarTech to Follow in 2026
    9Ari PaparoAdTech & Martech convergenceFounder of Marketecture Media, author of Yield. Influential voice on platform power and advertising technology.Top 10 Influencers in AdTech & MarTech to Follow in 2026
    10Lori GoodeMartech marketing leadershipCMO at Index Exchange, influential in trust-driven programmatic marketing and infrastructure positioning.Top 10 Influencers in AdTech & MarTech to Follow in 2026

    Key Takeaways

    • Scott Brinker and David Raab dominate Martech thought leadership due to their foundational roles in defining the ecosystem and CDPs.

    • Greg Kihlström and Tony Byrne are critical for operational and vendor strategy guidance.

    • Michael Brenner and Paul Roetzer bring strong perspectives on content and AI integration into marketing ops.

    • James Hercher, Anthony Katsur, Ari Paparo, and Lori Goode represent the convergence of AdTech and Martech, shaping standards, narratives, and reporting.

    This ranking blends ecosystem architects (Brinker, Raab), practical strategists (Kihlström, Byrne, Brenner), and emerging voices in AI and AdTech convergence (Roetzer, Hercher, Katsur, Paparo, Goode) - together forming the most influential individuals in Martech and marketing operations today.