June Dennis, DipM FCIM Chartered Marketer

Chair

June joined the CIM Board in December 2016 and became Vice Chair in December 2020. She has held marketing management positions in a range of industries ranging from clothing and textiles through to engineering plastics and retail.

She is one of the few marketing expert witnesses in the UK and which occasionally requires giving evidence in court. She specialises in intellectual property and contract law issues particularly in relation to branding and agency/client relationships. June first became interested in lecturing through teaching CIM courses during the 1990s. Since then, she has worked at Leeds Beckett University, University of Wolverhampton, UK College of Business & Computing and Staffordshire Universities in senior leadership roles.

June is passionate about ensuring business and marketing curriculum is current and applied and that students are encouraged to achieve their potential. She has undertaken a number of projects on marketing curriculum design and development and integrating project work into the curriculum. She is currently Managing Consultant at Mountain Top Perspectives Limited, based in West Yorkshire.

June is a Fellow of the CIM and Chartered Marketer. She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She holds an MBA in Strategic Marketing.

Mark Durkin, FCIM

Vice Chair

Professor Mark Durkin, (PhD, MA, DipFS, CPP, PgCUT, FCIM, FIB, SFHEA) is Executive Dean of the Ulster University Business School in Northern Ireland. The Business School operates across all four of Ulster’s regional campuses and also delivers business in Dublin, London and Birmingham. The School has international partnerships in China, Qatar, Switzerland, Singapore and Dubai. The School is a member of the Harvard Business School’s MOC network.

Prior to joining Ulster University Mark spent over a decade in various service, sales and strategic marketing roles within the Bank of Ireland Group in Ireland. He has led both academic and commercial marketing teams in both higher education and financial services contexts. His research interest remains at the marketing / technology interface and he is co-author of the BEP book, ‘The Seven Principles of Digital Business Strategy’ (with Niall McKeown).

He was awarded the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Ireland Region ‘Marketing Person of the Year’ in recognition of his contribution to marketing education in Ireland in 2006. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a Fellow of the Institute of Banking in Ireland and is a Senior Fellow of the UK’s Higher Education Academy.

Andrew Yuille, DipM FCIM Chartered Marketer

Vice Chair

Andrew is a marketing and business development professional with a career spanning 25+ years. He has worked across a spectrum of global, mid-market and early stage B2B organisations, across technology, information services and financial services including Hertz, Sage plc and Tetra plc. He is currently Vice President – Partnerships & Alliances for Thomson Reuters; earlier roles at Thomson Reuters included several marketing leadership roles, head of risk business solutions and most recently head of the online compliance training business.

He is a regular public speaker at events across the globe on topics spanning governance, risk and compliance as well as RegTech.
He was elected Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Marketing in 2001 and holds an MSc in Marketing with Distinction from the University of South Wales.

Andrew is a trustee and governor of Herries Educational Trust, a charity supporting the education of pupils at Herries School in Cookham, Berkshire.

Gina Balarin, FCIM Chartered Marketer

Non-Executive Director

Gina Balarin (MCIM Chartered Marketer) is a TEDx speaker, author of The Secret Army: Leadership, Marketing and the Power of People and the Founder of Verballistics, a boutique marketing consultancy that excels in making communication meaningful.

Gina has a Masters Degree in Education in the subject of Management Communication which was awarded with Distinction, a BA in Drama and Linguistics, a BA (Hons) in Linguistics and English Language and a Diploma in Marketing. She was awarded Chartered Marketer status in 2010 and obtained the honour of becoming a full Professional Member of the Professional Speakers’ Association in 2018.

She has worked on three continents and improved communication through marketing at organisations in the software, technology, engineering and educational sectors for nearly two decades. Based in Sydney, Australia, her award-winning content marketing expertise has won critical acclaim in Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom. She has also inspired audiences in Sweden and Finland.

Gina was elected to the CIM Board of Directors in December 2020. She also serves on the Board of Project Displaced, an Australian non-profit organisation dedicated to helping people gain the confidence and skills to return to work after losing their jobs to COVID, and is a member of Professional Speakers Australia leadership team for New South Wales.

Matilda Crossman, DipM MCIM FCCA

Non-Executive Director

Matilda Crossman (DipM, MCIM, FCCA) joined the Board of Directors in October 2017 following 5 years as CIM member of CIM South West Regional Board and 2 years as a Chair of CIM Bristol & West Branch. Matilda joined CIM Audit and Risk Committee in February 2017 and was elected Chair in October 2017.

Matilda is an executive director and co-founder of the ExP Group, an edtech company focused on enhancing companies’ digital learning strategies with digital learning solutions through globally recognized, accredited content and purpose built platforms. Prior to ExP, Matilda worked for 2 of the largest consultancy companies in the world and also in the education sector for a London stock exchange quoted learning provider.

During her career spanning for nearly 20 years, Matilda has supported and worked with companies from various industries including pharmaceuticals, tobacco, telecom, oil and gas in established and emerging markets in Europe, Africa and China.

Matilda is also a chartered accountant and an alumni of Harvard Business School and also an ACCA Council member. She has been involved during the last 8 years with various ACCA committees ranging from Audit and Risk Committee to Resource Oversight Committee, UK Strategy Implementation Committee, Nomination Committee and International Assembly.

Her passion is travelling, environmental conservation, triathlon and wellbeing.  

Nadi Dharmasiri, DipM FCIM Chartered Marketer

Non-Executive Director

Nadi B. Dharmasiri holds an MBA (Merit) from the Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Fellow (FCIM) of the Chartered Institute of Marketing UK, Member (MSLIM) of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing and a Chartered Marketer. She holds a DipM (UK) and an Advanced Certificate in Executive Management from PIM and is a Member of the Postgraduate Institute of Management Alumni. Nadi also holds a National Diploma in Industrial/Organisational Psychology and Counselling from the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, while her career in marketing encompasses FMCG, Personal Care, Insurance, Advertising, Automotive, Telco and Banking, spanning a period of 25+ years. She is currently the Group Chief Marketing Communications Officer for David Pieris Holdings (Pvt) Ltd.

Nadi was elected to the Board of Directors of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK in January 2017 and became the Past Chairperson of CIM Sri Lanka 2013/14. She has been on the CIM Sri Lanka Board since November 2005 and has served as the Chairperson, Senior Vice Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Regional Treasurer and Regional Secretary, and as the Head of Public Affairs and Communications during this period. The highlights of her tenure as Chairperson in 2013/14 includes the spearheading of the introduction of a new business model, under International Strategy and the implementing of the revised articles of association of CIM Sri Lanka. Nadi also served as an elected member of the Membership and Professional Advisory Group of CIM UK in 2013/14.

Nadi is the recipient of several awards, including “50 Asian Women Leaders” by CMO Asia and “Marketing Leaders” by the World Marketing Congress in 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Natalie Gross, DipM FCIM

Non-Executive Director

Natalie is recognised as one of the top three influential digital professionals in the UK (eConsultancy). She has spent the last 20 years leading and growing agencies, including spending seven years as CEO of Global Marketing and Technology Agency Amaze, before joining TH_NK, acquired by EPAM in November 2018.

She has deep level expertise in building digital capability for agencies and their clients. She is well versed in M&A, agency integration, setting out digital visions and operating models, advising on global/local operations and developing talent and teams. She has extensive commerce experience, in particular working with manufacturers on D2C strategies.

Additionally, she was a founder of a commerce SI start-up, Loop Integration, in the US. She has worked with many leading global brands including Toyota, Lexus, ASICS, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Dyson and Adecco Group. She is a passionate advocate, industry spokesperson and mentor for developing digital talent on a world stage. She has spent the last five years as an elected member of BIMA (Britain’s industry association for digital practitioners), becoming Co-President in November 2016.

Here she has created a new vision and operating model for the Organisation, enabling the development of communities who are driving innovation and celebrating achievement in emerging technologies, regional success, education & diversity and creativity, culminating in 90+ events per annum and the production of reports, including The voices of our industry - BIMA Tech Inclusion & Diversity Report 2019.

She is a Fellow of WWF-UK, having spent six years as a trustee to the Charity. She is a Fellow and newly elected Non-Executive Director of the CIM.

In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University for outstanding services to digital.

Kate Hamilton, FCIM Chartered Marketer

Non-Executive Director

Kate Hamilton FCIM, Chartered Marketer, joined the Board of Directors in December 2016. She became Chair of the Board of Directors at CIM | The Chartered Institute of Marketing in December 2019.

Kate has over 30 years' award-winning experience in technology & telecoms marketing. Prior to joining the board, Kate taught Marketing Strategy, Mobile and Digital Marketing for several colleges as a guest tutor and lecturer. Following senior marketing roles at Royal Mail, T-Mobile and Avaya, in 2003 she set up marketing consultancy KSM Ltd. Today, via KSM, Kate advises clients on Marketing, Technology, and Business projects and works with them in establishing, developing, and leading the marketing function in global technology businesses.

Kate joined CIM in 1992 and is a Fellow and Chartered Marketer. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Direct & Digital Marketing, and of the Royal Society of Art, Manufactures and Commerce. Kate gained her MBA from Henley Management College, and she holds a BA Hons in Business Studies and a BSc Hons in Organic Chemistry.

Fiona Hawkins FCIM

Non-Executive Director

I have 27 years corporate client and agency experience, delivering marketing campaigns and running a successful business.

Increasing engagement and improving productivity of digital activities for clients is my speciality, by helping companies communicate effectively with audiences using critical-lateral thinking, a strategic approach and high levels of integrity.

My experience includes; leading a programme of digital transformation and a digital-first agency model that leverages emerging channels; transforming a full service agency’s digital skillset through a strategic programme of training; collaborating with two leading Universities to develop an AI platform that improves the power and performance of clients’ marketing data.

Dawn Holmes MBA, BEng, FCIM, Chartered Marketer

Non-Executive Director

Dawn is a Lecturer in Marketing at Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) with a strong practitioner background. Her marketing career spans 30 years of working with several technology brands (including Hewlett-Packard, Schlumberger and Brother) and running her own strategic marketing consultancy business.

With senior management roles covering Marketing Management, Insight Development & Deployment, Corporate Planning, and Business Intelligence, Dawn brings a broad range of experience to the board having been elected in 2017. She currently sits on several of CIM’s governance committees and was previously Chair of the Northwest regional board and a member of the IT SIG. Through continuous professional development she has achieved and maintained Chartered Marketer status since 2002 and became a Fellow of CIM in 2005.

Now teaching full time at AMBS, she delivers marketing and operations courses across the school at undergraduate, Masters and Global MBA levels. Outside of AMBS, she delivers on Executive Education programmes for Trinity Business School and Salford University.

She has an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from Staffordshire University and an MBA from Manchester Business School.

Michael Lynch BA Hons DipM FCIM MSc CMRS Chartered Marketer

Non-Executive Director

Non-Executive Director, elected to CIM Board in 2021. Michael is Head of Commercial Innovation & Marketing at National Savings & Investments (NS&I). On secondment from NS&I he helped create the British Business Bank as Acting Director of Marketing, Communications and Brand. Before NS&I Michael held senior demand development, marketing and sales director roles with major financial services businesses specialising in investments.

A DipM qualified Chartered Marketer and CIM Fellow, since 2008 Michael has lectured for CIM courses including Strategy, Planning, Innovation and Digital strategy. Michael is a CIM mentor.

Michael attained an MSc in Strategic marketing from Cranfield School of Management in 2004 and has been on the Programme Advisory Board there since 2016.

A Route Panel member for marketing apprenticeships with the Institute for Apprenticeships since 2020, Michael has chaired and been a member of marketing apprenticeship trailblazer groups and is a member of the national Green Apprenticeships advisory community.

Michael is also a non-executive director with London Mutual Credit Union, London’s largest community bank, a member of the MRS and CFA UK and chairs the Education committee at the Worshipful company of Marketors.

Gus MacIver, ACIM

Non-Executive Director