The trade-off between value creation and appropriation is a fundamental strategic decision for firm performance. The Top Management Team (TMT) is shaping these strategies. However, this process requires a certain degree of consensus. Following upper echelons theory, the personal characteristics of the TMT members are the micro-foundations but what are the mechanisms that turn the wheel towards value creation (innovation) or appropriation (differentiation)? We used as data set a cross-industry panel of U.S. S&P 500 firms over 12 years and scrutinized as reference characteristics the career path of the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Our findings indicate that career variety positively influences differentiation but negatively influences innovation. However, role-specific experiences only negatively influence innovation. We contribute to TMT and Strategic Management revealing that the different kinds of experience are the significant levers that impact strategy. To practice, we propose a shift in the weight of relevant criteria for recruiting CMOs and build TMTs, based on the overall strategic vision of the firm.