Lawrence to lead Purple

Fran Lawrence has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Purple, Western Australia’s biggest strategic communications agency.

Formerly Senior Director at Purple, Ms Lawrence has been with the agency for almost 10 years, building a strong property sector portfolio and specialising in board-level communications strategies and crisis and issues management.

She is also on the Board of Lifeline WA.

Purple Chair, Karen Brown, said Ms Lawrence’s appointment heralded a new era for the agency which last year celebrated its 20-year anniversary. It follows a decision by Managing Director Annette Ellis to move to a Non-Executive Director role.

“For more than 20 years, Purple has evolved to meet the challenges of a changing market,” Ms Brown said.

“Fran is a highly respected leader with a deep working knowledge of a diverse range of industry sectors in Western Australia.

“Her energy, integrity and experience make her the natural choice to lead the next chapter at Purple.”

Lawrence said she was excited by the challenge.

“In my time at Purple, we’ve seen incredible change in the business landscape – from the growing importance of renewable energy and Net Zero targets, to changing work practices and communications in the face of a global pandemic, to the rise of generative AI.

“The team has continued to bring creativity, strategic thinking and diversity of experience to every aspect of our work in WA, across Australia and overseas.

“I look forward to continuing to work with clients while overseeing the strategic direction of the agency in its next decade of operation.”

Brown paid tribute to Ms Ellis, who has been with the agency since 2008.

“Annette has been an outstanding leader who has shaped our agency over many years,” Ms Brown said.

“She championed innovation, workplace flexibility and ensured a constant client focus.

“Annette’s contribution has been incredibly significant, and we are pleased she will remain with us as Non-Executive Director.”