James McCracken FCIM

I’m a strategic marketing leader with over 20 years’ experience helping organisations across education, training, and property unlock measurable growth. As a Fractional CMO and freelance consultant, I partner with founders, boards, and in-house teams to build scalable marketing functions that deliver real commercial impact.

Through Frances & Kevin, I mentor marketing professionals and deliver training programmes to help the next generation of marketers step into leadership roles with confidence. Alongside this, I run McCracken Marketing, providing consultancy and interim leadership for organisations that need hands-on support to steady the ship and accelerate growth.

As Chair of CIM North West, I’m passionate about raising marketing standards across the region—supporting professionals at every stage of their career and championing the value that strategic marketing brings to business.

Tamara Rashford ACIM

Currently a Senior Marketing Specialist at Geotab, a B2B commercial vehicle technology company, with over seven years of experience in sustainable transport industry.

With a degree in International Events Management as well as voluntary experience for both public and private events, alongside multiple marketing qualifications, Tamara looks forward to taking on the role of Events Ambassador for the North West, while supporting and developing the CIM ecosystem.

Kelly Reynolds MCIM

I’m Director and lead marketing consultant for Optimum Professional Solutions Ltd, a project management and communications consultancy. We work across the public, private and non-profit sectors on projects as diverse as procuring highways infrastructure contracts to promoting a new mental health app for young people.

I’m a creative communicator who loves data as much as I love words. Statistics is another form of storytelling – right? I’m particularly interested in behaviour change and decision making and currently studying MSc Psychology to learn more about why change is so hard and how our choices aren’t always rational. I’m also fascinated by AI and how we can optimise it’s utility.

I’m proud to be a serial collaborator and believe our best work is achieved by working together. I look forward to supporting the vibrant network of marketing and communication professionals throughout the North West.

Rachel Horsford MCIM

Rachel Horsford is a strategic marketer with over twenty years’ experience in senior management. After graduating from the University of Cambridge, she joined PWC (Coopers & Lybrand) before developing her career across profit and not-for-profit sectors. Her senior level roles include Head of Marketing at the Disability Rights Commission, Head of External Relations at the University of Manchester, and Director of External Relations at Stockport Grammar School.

Rachel has found CIM qualifications, support and resources to be invaluable, and membership of the committee is a way to continue that and to help others at different career stages. She joined CIM as an affiliated professional in the early 2000s, qualified as a full member in 2006, and has completed many courses along the way, most recently the Digital Strategy Award. Rachel also has a MSc from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Brian Martin MCIM

Brian is a senior marketing leader with over a decade of experience accountable for growth, demand generation and commercial performance across multi service organisations.

He works directly with boards, C-suites and senior leadership teams to align marketing with revenue priorities, positioning and long term commercial sustainability.

Alongside his full time role, Brian serves as Trustee and Head of Marketing at M2 SPED Awareness, contributing to governance, strategic direction and sustainable growth.

As a member of the CIM North West Committee, he contributes to raising regional marketing standards and ensuring marketing is understood as a commercial growth function, not a communications support role.

Stanley Oyovota ACIM Chartered Marketer

Coming soon...

Oluwatobi Adekunle DipM MCIM

Tobi Adekunle is a marketing leader with expertise in product marketing, campaign strategy, demand generation, digital marketing, and GTM execution, with experience spanning about 15 years. He currently serves as Product Marketing and Campaigns Manager at Mobysoft, where he leads product marketing and integrated campaign activity across a portfolio of solutions supporting the UK social housing sector.

With experience across multiple sectors, Tobi has developed a strong track record of helping organisations sharpen market positioning, generate qualified demand, and deliver campaigns that drive measurable business growth. His work spans go-to-market strategy, product positioning and messaging, multi-channel campaign execution, sales enablement, and the use of market and customer insight to shape commercially effective marketing decisions.

Alongside his corporate role, Tobi is deeply committed to marketing education, thought leadership, and professional development. He teaches CIM Level 6 content focused on AI in marketing, equipping learners to understand and apply emerging technologies in practical and strategic ways. He is also the author of Purpose and Profession, a work that reflects his wider interest in purposeful work, personal growth, and professional impact.

As a CIM Education Ambassador for the North West, he supports the development of future marketing professionals by sharing practical industry insight, encouraging continuous learning, and helping bridge the gap between theory and real-world application.

Tobi holds an MBA in Business Administration from Business School Netherlands and a Professional Diploma in Marketing from CIM. He also serves on the board of a UK neurodivergent charity organisation, reflecting his wider commitment to service, inclusion, and creating meaningful impact beyond the workplace.

Vasiliki Pagkali ACIM

I am a Digital Marketing postgraduate with a First Class MSc from the University of Salford, currently seeking the right opportunity to begin my professional marketing career. I am passionate about creative, ethical and strategic marketing and I remain committed to continuous learning as I develop my skills and work toward future chartered status. Alongside my career development, I am actively engaged in the marketing community and enjoy contributing to initiatives that support fellow marketers across the region.

My experience includes an internship as a Digital Marketing Strategist Associate at LIFYA, a sustainable and ethical marketplace. During my time there, I contributed to social media planning, content strategy, market research and brand communication. This role strengthened my interest in purpose‑driven marketing and gave me valuable experience in developing digital strategies that connect audiences with meaningful brands.

Before pursuing marketing, I spent seven years working as a Sales Executive in a corporate environment. This background has given me strong communication skills, customer‑focused thinking and excellent organisational skills, all of which contribute to my approach as an aspiring marketing professional.

During my studies, I also served as the Chairperson of the Marketing Society at the University of Salford, where I organised events, coordinated guest speakers and created opportunities for students to network, learn and grow within the field of marketing.

As a CIM North West Events Ambassador, I help support the planning and delivery of regional CIM events. My role involves contributing to event ideas, supporting speaker and venue coordination, assisting with logistics and working with fellow ambassadors to promote events across universities and the wider marketing community.

I am passionate about helping create engaging, accessible events that bring marketers together and strengthen CIM’s regional presence.