Corporate and Public Affairs Insights Leader Nick Driver Joins Purple

Purple Strategies has added Nick Driver to our growing insights function as a research director. Nick joins Purple from Hill+Knowlton Strategies, where he most recently led the agency’s U.S. research team and worked with the agency’s leadership to integrate and scale Data+Analytics services across the agency’s global network.

“Our need for deep insights has never been greater than this past year as we worked with clients to navigate the significant changes and complex issues that have emerged, and Nick’s extensive expertise in public opinion polling and counseling corporations through difficult times makes him a strong addition to our team,” said Steve McMahon, Purple co-founder and CEO.

Nick started his career at Public Strategies Inc., a public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas, fielding opinion research and generating insights that helped shape large corporate campaigns for clients. His work covered everything from state-wide ballot initiatives to product recalls, energy issues, financial crises, mergers and acquisitions, and many other reputational challenges for diverse sectors that include healthcare, retail, finance, food and beverage, and digital entertainment.

After Public Strategies merged with WPP’s Hill+Knowlton in 2011, Nick spent a decade with the firm working across the U.S. and globally. He first went to Los Angeles to grow the research practice on the West Coast, then led the U.S. research team and efforts nationally, finally taking on an expanded remit to build Data+Analytics services and products to be scaled internationally across the global Hill+Knowlton Strategies network.

“Coming to Purple brings me back to my roots of using research to inform strategy for high-stakes reputation campaigns that create significant business impact,” Nick said. “That has never been more important than it is in today’s business climate, and Purple’s commitment to using insights to drive strategy is extraordinary, so it’s a really exciting time to be joining the firm.”

Nick graduated from Texas State University, where he earned BA and MA degrees in Communication Studies.