Bethan Evans becomes managing director, Sport, while Mark Cole becomes group managing director

Bethan and Mark Whisper

Whisper has appointed Bethan Evans as managing director, Sport, with Mark Cole taking on group managing director responsibilities.

Evans has held senior roles at 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.

She will now take over responsibility for leading Whisper’s sports team in delivering production, broadcast and digital – live and non-live – content to broadcasters, streamers, and sports competitions and leagues across the globe.

She will also focus on continuing to grow Whisper’s portfolio of sports clients, as well as further developing the company’s commitment to a diverse recruitment strategy.

Meanwhile, Cole, who has been at Whisper for 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. In his new role, his focus will be on helping shape the continued growth of Whisper across all its business areas.

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.”

Cole added: “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 3,000 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, CEO and co-founder of the Whisper Group, 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 Whisper keep 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.”