Meet the team
Whether you’re looking to hire or looking for a new job, we’d love to chat.
Virginia Hicks
Founder & Chair
Founder & Chair
Andy loves supporting organisations with a whole range of challenges, whether it’s an urgent interim requirement or a search for an important new permanent hire. With extensive experience in internal communications, Andy and the team at Comma can also resource any wider challenges you may be facing – for example, auditing your IC function, up-skilling your internal communications team, or training, coaching or mentoring your leaders or line managers to become better communicators.
Andy runs regular round table sessions for senior IC pros and also leads a LinkedIn group to support internal communication professionals and their mental health. He has a keen interest in the wider employee experience, something we know organisations are developing at pace in the post pandemic working environment. Currently based in SW London, Andy enjoys live sport, live music, travel, politics, good food and regular trips to see friends now based all over the world!
Matt began his career in internal and change communications recruitment in 2016 and hasn’t looked back. He’s passionate about the field of internal communications, recognising when executed effectively, it significantly improves company culture and overall business performance. He’s committed to helping businesses navigate their communications challenges by supporting them in building high-performing teams.
Focusing on the UK contract market, both fixed-term contracts (FTCs) and interim day rate positions, he’s successfully placed over 250 communications professionals across businesses of all shapes and sizes, from leading global corporates to small charities. Thriving in the fast-paced, dynamic nature of the contract market, he’s delivered tailored solutions to organisations in need of exceptional communications talent.
Matt lives in Newbury with his young family. When his weekends aren’t taken up with trips to the local soft play or farm park, he’s playing for his local cricket team or aiming to beat his 5km and 10km running PBs!
Virginia was a lead consultant with Comma Partners until 2025 when she moved into a Chairman role providing strategic and mentoring support to the consulting team, Andy Macleod, Managing Director and Matt Gibbs, Associate Director.
Virginia set up the interim communications business as part of Comma Consulting back in 2007 alongside Colette Dorward, a trailblazer in strategic communications. When Colette moved in-house, Virginia founded Comma Partners as an independent business resourcing interims for internal communication, employee engagement and change communication.
Virginia’s career in communications began at the now defunct high street retailer, Radio Rentals where she was Communications Manager for six years which included the retailer’s demerger from Thorn EMI. After a turbulent year in the corporate centre of the newly listed Thorn, Virginia supported a strategic review which resulted in redundancies all round and the demise of the brand as it was absorbed into Nomura. Virginia joined Glaxo Wellcome’s new manufacturing division in 1999 and within a year the company merged with SmithKlineBeecham. Virginia moved to Marks & Spencer in 2001 as head of internal communications where she led the internal communications team through
change, recovery and a CEO change. After becoming a mum, Virginia worked as a communications interim with Unilever and Network Rail until she joined Comma Consulting.
Virginia’s early career was with the International Tennis Federation where she travelled extensively before moving into sponsorship with Alan Pascoe Associates where her clients included Pearl Assurance, Kodak, TSB, Hewlett Packard and Land Rover.
Now living in West Sussex, Virginia has settled into a more rural lifestyle. Virginia is a hands-on mum who enjoys her husband’s excellent cooking, loves fine wine, the theatre and Pilates with lots of time dedicated to her garden, house renovation and the family businesses in rugby ball replica lamps, known as Globall.
