Who we are

Discover more about the wonderful team at Purple Pitch Communications.

Michelle Nichols

Michelle Nichols
Managing Director

Michelle is an experienced communications and PR professional with over 21 years’ experience working in both the public and private sector. She became the Head of Communications for Thames Valley Police at the age of 35, taking on responsibility for leading a 30 strong communications department for the largest non-Metropolitan police force in the country.

She then moved to Network Rail as Head of Communications for the multi-million-pound Thameslink programme and the South East Route. Responsible for leading the delivery of national travel demand management campaigns and providing crisis management communications for the route. She then moved to a second Head of Communications role for Network Rail in Route Services with a focus on internal and customer communications and engagement.

Michelle has extensive experience developing meaningful communications strategies to help organisations meet their business objectives. She has managed complex crisis communications at a national level, leading multi-agency responses to major incidents, managing media relations and briefing, advising and preparing senior police officers and executives for their responses.

She has a proven track record in building effective, high performing teams, a passion for driving digital engagement through effective social media and extensive experience in delivering effective change and engagement communications.

During her career, Michelle has worked in a variety of industries including leisure and tourism, sport, local authority, transport, infrastructure, emergency services, gaming, regulation and food and drink.

In February 2018, Michelle set up her own business, Purple Pitch Communications and is now working with several clients from different sectors on everything from public relations, change communications to improving their social media presence.

Andy Wong

Andy Wong
Senior Associate

Andy is a Director with extensive experience in the successful design and delivery of business wide transformational employee engagement programmes, change, IT & digital transformation, cultural change, talent management, organisational design and the mobilisation of organisations.

Andy is Director of his own company which compliments the work we do at Purple Pitch Communications focusing on the area of internal employee engagement.

Recently, he has led transformation programmes within large transport organisations and developed the engagement and people aspects resulting in an increase in engagement completion from 22% to 100%, increased engagement scores, increased innovative solutions for customers and an improved commitment of individuals and teams to the change agenda. This culminated in ‘best change and engagement programme’ at the National Rail Awards.

He just set-up of the change programme team for a complex £40m IT transformation programme on which he engaged the expertise of Purple Pitch Communications to work alongside him on the engagement strategy for the transformation programme.

He is a qualified executive coach and brings insight and extensive experience in behavioural change management, culture change, employee engagement and communications to ensure successful implementation of transformation and change programmes. He has influential communications, interpersonal and relationship building talents to support teams in the effective delivery and sustainability of change.