Kate Hamilton, FCIM Chartered Marketer

Chair

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 became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and a Chartered Marketer in 1999. 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.

Leigh Hopwood, DipM FCIM Chartered Marketer

Vice Chair

Leigh Hopwood (DipM FCIM Chartered Marketer) joined the Board of Directors in January 2015 following eight years as a CIM volunteer in the South East. She has been Chair of Surrey, Interim Chair of Sussex, as well as Vice Chair and Chair of the South East region. As a member of the CIM Member and Profession Advisory Group, Leigh initiated a network review project in 2014 which aimed at modernising its structure.

Leigh is a Strategic Marketer, specialising in B2B technology and business services, with over 18 years experience in both agency and client-side. She has led marketing functions for IT companies specialised in niche markets, including contact centres and customer services, telecoms, digital customer experiences, and apparel and footwear.

After setting up Redd Marketing in 2010, Leigh has provided clients with marketing consultancy in other sectors, including business services, management consulting, food, automotive, marketing and HR. Leigh is also a Judge for the European Call Centre and Customer Service Awards and the Call Centre Management Association (CCMA) Awards, and is an Advisor to the Board in Marketing and Communications for the CCMA.

Derek Milward, DipM MCIM

Vice Chair

Derek S C Milward MBA, DipM, MCIM, MCMI, F Inst AM, FHEA, Cert Ed (FE/HE) was elected to the Board of Directors at the AGM in January 2014. He has worked in a variety of industries including, motor vehicle, electricity supply, retail and manufacturing for more than 20 years. Becoming a lecturer in business administration, management and marketing in Further and Higher Education as a second career.

Since leaving the world of education in 2005, he has been working as a consultant and adviser. Between 2008 and 2010 he was a director of UKTV Ltd, Shrewsbury a digital media company. He was chairman of the Board of Trustees of Age Concern Sedgley and District which has now merged with Age UK Dudley of which he is a trustee. The combined organisations provide preventive day care and a range of other services to the elderly people of the borough of Dudley in the West Midlands.

He has been an active member of CIM for more than 30 years serving in a variety of roles on the NorWest Midlands Branch and the West Midlands Regional Board. His expertise in education and varied commercial background enabled him to spend time advising young people about careers in business especially marketing. He has a keen interest in continuous professional development and is also a mentor and a member of several professional and learned bodies.

Taffy Alahakoon, DipM MCIM

Non-Executive Director

Taffy Alahakoon carries over 20 years of experience in marketing, sales management and leading teams in diverse sectors – FMCG, Pharmaceutical, Teleco, Interior/Office plans & designs, Banking, Luxury Vertical Living , Outdoor Camping & Travel and International Marketing. Taffy has lead marketing at Standard Chartered (Sri Lanka) and championed one of their CSR programmes in addition to being a brand guardian. Post his banking career, he served as Group Director/CMO at Fairway Holdings, a premier luxury condominium developer in Sri Lanka, helping them to build a sound corporate branding and launched several projects. He also served as CEO of one of Fairway Group’s subsidiaries, Go Outdoors, which brought a novel outdoor adventure concept to Sri Lanka. His current role is with Brentcross Capital Partners as Director Business Planning & Growth.

Taffy is a Fellow of Advance HE (Higher Education Academy, UK) and holds 2 Master’s degrees (MBA) from USA (Texas) and UK (Birmingham, with commendation) universities in addition to the Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing (CIM, UK), Diploma in Business Administration (ABE, UK), membership at Chartered Institute of Marketing (MCIM, UK) and Association of Business Executives (MABE, UK). He counts over 12 years of lecturing experience for CIM, ABE, LCCI, CMA, MBA and MSc courses.

Andrew Binns, FCIM

Non-Executive Director

Andrew is a Director at Havas Lynx, an advertising agency specialising in healthcare marketing.  Having worked across the digital, public sector, tourism marketing and sports fan engagement sectors for the likes of Everton FC, Arsenal FC, Visit Britain, BBC, Unite the Union and NHS Andrew led the global Strategy division for Medcomms Network Ashfield Healthcare Communication before joining Havas.

As a creative strategist Andrew is a big advocate of utilising behaviour change frameworks to create tangible, contextual, empathetic and activating campaigns that deliver impact.

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.  

June Dennis, DipM FCIM Chartered Marketer

Non-Executive Director

June joined the CIM Board in 2017, she is both a marketing practitioner and an academic. She has held marketing management positions in a range of industries ranging from clothing and textiles through to engineering plastics. She has expert witness experience, particularly in the fields of fashion marketing and agency/client relationships. June became interested in lecturing through teaching CIM courses during the 1990s. Since then, she has worked at Leeds Beckett University and the University of Wolverhampton in senior faculty roles. June is passionate about the student experience and ensuring that students are encouraged to achieve. She has also undertaken projects on marketing curriculum design and development and integrating project work into the curriculum. She is currently Principal of UK College of Business & Computing.

June is a member of the CIM Learning Advisory Group and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She holds an MBA in Strategic Marketing, BSc (Hons) in Industrial Technology and Management and is a Fellow of the CIM and Chartered Marketer. She is a trustee of Hope Housing, a small charity providing accommodation for homeless people in West Yorkshire and also still undertakes the occasional marketing consultancy or research project.

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.

Dawn Holmes, FCIM Chartered Marketer

Non-Executive Director

Dawn Holmes (FCIM Chartered Marketer) joined the CIM Board in 2017 after a long career in marketing and business with several major technology brands including Schlumberger, Hewlett-Packard and Brother. She is an active Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and has held posts on regional, national and industry sector boards. 

Her 18-year career at Brother included posts as Head of Insight Deployment, Head of Business Intelligence and Head of Marketing. This allowed her to use marketing philosophies across the business, ensuring a strong customer focus.

In 2013, she became a freelance consultant, setting up The Insight Magicians Ltd., providing marketing, research and business intelligence.

A Chartered Marketer since 2002, she has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA. She is currently a member of the Doctoral Programme at Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) researching how companies use big data to enhance customer experience.

A Visiting Academic at AMBS teaching on Executive Education Programmes, she is also the retained consultant on the Customer Management Leadership Group, a network of senior executives from major UK and global firms who share a passion for achieving consistent and sustainable value for their organisations. The group is directed by AMBS and provides both academic and practitioner input.

Gus MacIver, ACIM

Non-Executive Director

Gus MacIver, MA, FCMA, MBA, ACIM is an experienced Chief Financial Officer and Finance Director with a background in Financial Services, Technology and B2B services. Gus is currently the European CFO for FleetCor (an international fleet management & payment services company) with responsibility covering 12 countries (including Russia).

Gus was appointed to the Board of Directors in December 2017, and additionally sits on the Finance & Strategy Committee, which is responsible for reviewing and monitoring the financial performance of CIM, and overseeing the implementation of the strategy set out by the Board.

Previously he served as a Non Executive Director of MasterCard Ltd and LINK Network Ltd. In addition to “normal” commercial roles, he was a faculty member of the Visa Europe Business School for a number of years - lecturing and tutoring on a wide spectrum of topics at Cambridge University. He has also contributed articles on card management and related business topics to Visa, and been a speaker at a number of international Visa and MasterCard conferences.

Gus is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accounts, a member of the Institute of Directors, and holds an MA (Mathematics, French) and an MBA.

Julian Rawel, DipM FCIM Chartered Marketer

Non-Executive Director

Julian is Chief Executive of consultancy Market Echoes and a faculty member of a number of UK and international business schools.

Julian spent 16 years with UK tour operator, Eurocamp, principally heading up the sales and marketing function as Group Sales and Marketing Director and was one of four directors to take the company through a £32m management buy out and £60m stock market flotation. In 1994 he was asked to set up the marketing for Britain’s biggest museum development, the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, UK, leaving in 1998 to move into service industry consultancy and concurrently develop an academic career. Julian has worked in faculty and senior management positions at universities including Bradford, Durham, Edinburgh and TIAS.

Julian has been a main board director of Eurocamp plc, ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) and AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators). He has been a Council member of Bradford Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Association of Business Schools Executive Education committee. Julian is a business commentator on radio and television and writes on customer service and teaching best practice. He is a regular blogger www.marketechoes.co.uk/blog/

Allyson Stewart-Allen, FCIM Chartered Marketer

Non-Executive Director

Allyson Stewart-Allen is a renowned advisor, author, speaker and educator whose expertise in brand internationalisation is sought by leading businesses globally through her consultancy, publications, appearances, mentoring and corporate education.

A Californian based in Europe for over 25 years, Allyson applies her extensive international consulting experience, MBA education with Dr. Peter Drucker and languages (French, German) to the company she founded, International Marketing Partners.

Allyson has advised more than 200 businesses in 26 countries including Aegis, BAE Systems, Burberry, Cadbury, Coach, HSBC, Lufthansa, NBC Universal, SAB Miller and Shell.

She is co-author of best-selling book Working with Americans and an experienced and frequent commentator lending her insights to broadcast, print and digital media across the globe.  Besides her 4-year slot for Sky News as The Muse of Marketing, she appears on several television shows including CNBC’s The Business Class and the last 3 seasons of BBC’s The Apprentice.

Allyson is engaged for her award-winning corporate education experience for the Fortune 100, Moller Centre Cambridge University, Said Business School Oxford University, London Business School amongst others.  She is the first-ever two-time recipient of the Excellence in Practice Award of the European Foundation for Management Development recognising her custom leadership programmes for Lufthansa and BAE Systems.

A frequent keynote speaker at international conferences, Allyson has appeared on the platforms of The Global Peter Drucker Forum, The Conference Board and the Institute of Directors conferences.  In addition to her role as a CIM Non-Executive Director, she is a judge for the National Business Awards, CBI/Amazon Growing Business Awards, PwC UK Private Business Awards, Chair of Marketing Judges for the Stevies® International Business Awards and the CIM’s Marketing Excellence Awards.  She is also a Mentor for the Mayor of London’s International Business Programme.

Andrew Yuille, DipM FCIM Chartered Marketer

Non-Executive Director

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.