We asked 225 CMOs and marketing leaders to select the biggest driver of change impacting their customer-facing and prospect-facing plans for the next two years. As new markets continue to open, and as many industries experience an influx of emerging-market competitors, it stands to reason that responding to the competitive landscape ranks as the top reason for geographic expansion. Geographic expansion requires the CMO to conduct a thorough assessment of internal and external conditions to mitigate any associated barriers and risks.