Marketing Manchester has promoted Rachel Combie as director of strategic marketing.

Combie, who was previously head of marketing within the unit, will be tasked with the promotion of the city to the UK and across the globe while leading the city’s marketing coordination unit.

She replaces Helen Palmer in the role who is leaving to concentrate on Palmer Squared, her marketing consultancy.

Prior to Marketing Manchester, Rachel worked for MIDAS, Manchester’s inward investment agency, where she held the position of head of marketing.

Combie and her team will take on a range of projects to promote the City of Manchester brand including supporting the work on the host city bid for England’s 2018 FIFA World Cup, developing links between Manchester and our international peers, and the co-ordinated Manchester presence at major international events and political conferences.

Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, said: “Rachel has a great deal of experience at marketing Brand Manchester. Since joining the co-ordination unit in 2008, she has shown a strategic vision and commitment to the brand that has enabled us to take the work of the unit to a completely new level.”

Combie added: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity and I welcome the chance to work even more closely with Andrew and others on the promotion of Manchester over the years ahead. Nothing stands still in this city for long and there are always new challenges around the corner which, to me, makes this the best job in the world.”