CIM staff in revolt over Fisk reforms

Chartered Institute of Marketing chief executive Peter Fisk’s attempts to modernise the organisation are facing resistance from CIM employees, who are understood to have joined a trade union to oppose the proposed moves.

Industry sources suggest that the newly appointed chief executive is steering the CIM away from its core function of training, and turning it into a lobbying organisation. Insiders also add that as part of CIM’s reinvention, redundancies are expected in the training and education units of the organisation, which together employ more than 100 people.

It is understood that the CIM employees are joining Amicus, the trade union for white-collar

professionals. A spokeswoman for the CIM declines to comment.

Fisk admits that he has received a letter from “a trade union” requesting a meeting, but refuses to give any more details.

He says: “We are making significant changes to the organisation to make it into the leading professional marketing body. There are always some employees who are less keen than others on any changes.”

Fisk, a former British Airways marketer, was appointed earlier this year to replace John Stubbs (MW January 16). At the CIM’s recent annual convention, he talked about shifting the organisation’s focus away from basic training and towards delivering “best practice” marketing content.

One insider says: “Fisk has been trying to make the CIM an opinion-leading marketing organisation and to change its identity, which is clearly not working.”According to CIM’s annual report for 2002, “on average” it employs 178 full-time staff. The training department has 60 staff and the education unit 57.