On the wrong track over CIM ‘hunt’

I’d like to clarify points raised in your news piece “CIM searching for director to stem membership loss” (MW February 10).

Unfortunately, the article takes a rather simplistic view of the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s membership numbers without providing the proper context, and therefore does not paint an accurate picture. It is important to realise that membership numbers fluctuate quite significantly as a result of many factors.

To illustrate, an analysis of the numbers shows that the fall is about 3,700 measured on a like-for-like basis at the end of December 2003 and December 2004 respectively, not the 10,000 your article suggests. Furthermore, if we look at a more meaningful moving annual average model, the reduction is less than 2,000.

Despite the fact the CIM has a membership base that is larger than any other marketing body, we are keen to expand. As such we are co-ordinating a strategy to develop membership benefits and strengthen our membership network.

We appointed John Hartley as director of membership in December 2004 to lead this strategy – and are not, therefore, searching for a membership director.

The CIM now has a strong leadership team in place. John Hartley, together with Christine Cryne, our new chief executive, and Lord Heseltine as our president, will be looking to take us forward as the body to represent the marketing profession, and support marketers at all stages of their careers.

Paul Gostick

Chairman

CIM

Cookham, Berks