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Purple Appoints Tom Smith as Regional Growth Director for North East Expansion


Purple Appoints Tom Smith as Regional Growth Director for North East Expansion
  • by: Source Logo
  • |
  • February 23, 2026

Purple, the B Corp-certified leader in guest WiFi and connectivity solutions, has appointed Tom Smith as Regional Growth Director for the North East. With more than 15 years of high-value commercial leadership experience, Smith will lead the company’s regional expansion strategy while advancing its commitment to social impact through technology-driven digital inclusion.

Quick Intel

  • Purple appoints Tom Smith as Regional Growth Director for the North East, leveraging his extensive commercial expertise from roles at Mail Metro Media and Checkatrade.
  • Smith specializes in transforming underdeveloped territories into high-performing regions through data-driven plans, team building, and long-term partnerships with blue-chip and public sector clients.
  • His role focuses on establishing the North East as Purple’s flagship region and a national model for using connectivity technology to enhance physical-world connections and reduce digital exclusion.
  • Building on existing success with Newcastle City Council, Smith will partner with local organizations to deliver seamless, secure, and ubiquitous WiFi access.
  • The appointment aligns with Purple’s B Corp values and “Free the Internet” movement, emphasizing that revenue growth and positive social outcomes can coexist sustainably.
  • Smith will be based in the North East, supporting the rollout of the Purple app for frictionless access to over 5 million global hotspots.

Leadership Expertise and Strategic Focus

Tom Smith brings a proven ability to drive commercial success in competitive markets. His previous roles involved mentoring high-performing sales teams and securing strategic partnerships that delivered measurable growth. At Purple, he will apply this expertise to accelerate regional adoption of the company’s connectivity platform while prioritizing initiatives that address digital exclusion—a growing concern in an increasingly online-dependent society.

“The North East is Purple’s flagship region and the blueprint for how we want to connect the rest of the UK,” said Tom Smith, Regional Growth Director at Purple. “My focus is to build on our success with Newcastle City Council by partnering with the right organisations to deliver seamless, secure, ‘everywhere’ connectivity. As a B Corp, we have a responsibility to ensure our technology does good, not just power guest WiFi. We’re using our infrastructure to help address digital exclusion and ensure no one is left behind in an increasingly connected world. I’m excited to lead a regional growth strategy where driving revenue and driving social impact go hand-in-hand to support sustainable growth for the North East.”

Alignment with Purple’s Mission

This appointment strengthens Purple’s dual focus on business performance and social responsibility. The company’s Purple app eliminates traditional captive portal barriers, providing automatic, secure access to a vast global network of hotspots. By expanding in the North East, Purple aims to demonstrate how advanced connectivity infrastructure can serve as a tool for community empowerment, economic development, and inclusive digital access.

Local businesses, public sector organizations, and community leaders interested in exploring regional connectivity solutions and sustainable growth opportunities are encouraged to connect directly with Tom Smith.

About Purple

Purple is the leading global connectivity platform that has built the world's largest public WiFi network. Their mission is to make WiFi a secure, seamless, and ever-present utility for everyone, everywhere. A global force with a presence in 89 countries, the platform is a powerful network that serves nearly 500 million users across 80,000 venues, with automatic, secure access to over 5 million hotspots through the Purple app.

  • Digital InclusionBcorpNorth East UK
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