New member***CIM North West Chair James McCracken joins Marketing Stockport

James McCracken, Chair of CIM North West and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM), has joined Marketing Stockport as a member, bringing over 20 years of senior marketing leadership experience to the local business community.

McCracken runs McCracken Marketing Ltd, providing fractional CMO and interim marketing director support to businesses across the North West. He also founded Frances & Kevin, a CPD-accredited marketing training business. He said:

“I’m really pleased to be part of Marketing Stockport. As a Stopfordian, it’s great to be joining a network that’s so connected to the local business community. I’m looking forward to getting to know more of them and finding ways to support local marketing efforts.”

McCracken’s career spans education, property and professional services, working with businesses to build marketing teams, shape strategy, and connect marketing activity to commercial outcomes. As Chair of CIM North West, he leads the regional chapter of the UK’s professional body for marketing, with responsibility for ambassador development, Chartered Marketer accreditation, and a programme of regional events including an upcoming conference later this year. Professional standards and development within marketing are areas he’s particularly passionate about, especially as the industry changes. He continued:

“Marketing is going through a lot of change at the moment, with AI playing a bigger role in how teams operate. “What that means is that experience and good judgement become even more valuable, not less. I’d like to think part of my role here is helping local businesses get access to that kind of experience, whether that’s through a conversation, a bit of guidance, or working together more formally.”

McCracken said he’s looking forward to attending Marketing Stockport events and getting involved with the wider community over the coming months.