MatchFit has appointed Caz Nicholls as a director, marking the latest step in a sustained period of significant growth for the specialist sports communications agency.
Nicholls joins MatchFit from the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), where she served as head of communications – planning, strategy & engagement, with a key focus on leading communications for The Hundred, the ECB’s flagship franchise-led domestic competition.
The appointment builds on a stellar communications career that has included a senior in-house brand role at Canon Europe and formative years agency-side, working on a portfolio of sport and culture clients including Southampton F.C., Spotify, Vodafone and Coca Cola. She joins MatchFit with an exciting remit to further enhance the agency’sevolution as the UK’s leading sports communications specialists and will help drive agency culture and growth, with a focus on campaigns which create a demonstrative business impact for MatchFit clients.
Since its launch in 2020, Manchester and London-based MatchFit has helped some of the world’s most exciting rightsholders and brands speak the language of sport across fan, consumer, grassroots and business audiences. Its services span PR, influencer marketing and studio, with clients including Topps, Fanatics, The FA, Manchester City, The LTA, EA SPORTS, LALIGA, TravisMathew and Rugby League.
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Nicholls will work alongside director Rob Leary, joining a wider management team which also includes Cherrelle Jefferson, director of MatchFit’s northern office in Manchester. MatchFit’s agency vision and strategic direction remain driven by co-founders Donald Parish and Will Mitchell.
Nicholls said: “Cricket has been my first dedicated role in sport, and I’ve fallen in love with the power of the industry and the passionate, purpose-driven people behind it. With both in-house and agency experience, I’ve seen both sides of the coin and recognise what it takes to drive genuine client impact, as well as the importance team culture plays in achieving that.
“I couldn’t be more delighted to be joining the MatchFit team – a talented group of strategic, creative and passionate individuals who live and breathe sport as fans, players and followers.”
Donald Parish, co-founder of MatchFit added: “Caz’s considerable achievements speak for themselves across a communications career blending sports rightsholder, governing body, brand and agency experience.
“More importantly, she is a fantastic leader who brings incredible energy, a genuine love for people development and a true passion for the craft of communications. It is extremely exciting to welcome Caz to MatchFit, and to unleash her talent as part of an agency team helping world-class clients speak the language of sport.”
Will Mitchell, fellow co-founder, said: “Working in tandem with Rob Leary in Shoreditch and Cherrelle Jefferson in Manchester, MatchFit now has a best-in-class leadership team fit to deliver our vision to establish the best sports communications agency in the UK.”
Permanent headcount across both MatchFit offices now stands at 18, with further recruitment underway.
