Whisper has announced that Bethan Evans has been appointed as Managing Director, Sport, with Mark Cole taking on Group Managing Director responsibilities.
Evans is one of the most experienced and respected operators in Broadcast and Production, and has held several senior roles in Whisper over the past 10 years, as well as a four-year stint as Broadcast and Production Manager at the All England Lawn Tennis Club when they assumed Host Broadcaster responsibilities for the Wimbledon Championships.
Evans will assume responsibility for leading Whisper’s highly-respected and acclaimed sports team in delivering production, broadcast and digital – live and non-live – at premium quality and scale for a raft of top-tier broadcasters, streamers, and sports competitions and leagues across the globe. She will also focus continuing to grow Whisper’s impressive portfolio of sports clients, as well as further developing the company’s commitment to a diverse recruitment strategy, which underpins Whisper’s ability to encourage and inspire new talent into the industry and connect with ever evolving audiences.
Cole, who has been part of Whisper’s journey for the past nine years after previously leading the BBC’s football output, is moving up to a newly created position of Group Managing Director and Chief Strategy Officer, where his focus will be helping shape the continued growth of the Group across all its business areas.
Bethan Evans said: ‘I am thrilled to be stepping up to Managing Director at Whisper to lead the Sport division. Having worked across all sides of the sports media sector – broadcaster, independent production and rights owner – I will use that experience to shape my approach to relationships and delivery at what is an exciting time for the business.
‘Whisper works hard to create a culture where creativity and innovation thrives. This is fundamental to our offer, and something I will protect and enhance as we continue to grow the sports business, building on some notable recent successes. I am extremely proud to lead such a talented team, and continuing our commitment to diversity of representation and thought will be a priority for me.
Mark Cole said: ‘I am extremely proud of what the Sport team has achieved in recent years and I’m looking forward to working closely with Bethan as well as the other expanding areas of the Group, including branded, docs, entertainment, events and eSports.
‘It’s a really exciting time for everyone at Whisper, with record growth and delivering over 3000 hours of content across 2024. We are storytellers at heart, and are looking forward to continuing to partner with our growing range of clients to keep entertaining and engaging audiences across the world.
Sunil Patel said: ‘This represents a landmark moment for the next generation of leaders in sport production. Whisper’s focus has always been on getting industry-leading talent, whether that’s hiring or creating opportunities and developing the best from within.
‘Bethan’s hard work, will to win and empathetic approach to managing and leading teams will ensure we are set up for even greater success, and that we stay true to our values.
‘She is without doubt the best in the industry. I couldn’t be any happier to see her take up such a critical role in the business as we double down on our core offer of creativity and storytelling as content consumption habits rapidly change.’
‘Mark has done an outstanding job growing our sports business, and I know he shares my ambition to see all the other aspects of Whisperkeep growing. The new, and broader, role of Group Managing Director and Chief Strategy Officer will combine the experience and expertise Mark has shown with his drive and vision to help take Whisper to new places and levels as we look to become one of the most valuable cross-sector agencies globally.’
