Whisper Announces Senior Hires To Lead Australasia Expansion

UK sports and live production specialist Whisper has made two new senior appointments, as it looks to expand its sport production offering in Australasia. 

James Gemmell, who previously worked with Sky Sports in the UK, has been appointed Executive Lead Australasia, with former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick joining The Whisper Group’s Advisory Board. 

Fitzpatrick joins fellow Advisory Board member, Michael Vaughan, who joined Whisper in 2020 to develop and promote Whisper’s growing cricket portfolio.

Whisper set up in Auckland in 2020 after winning a six-year contract to be Spark Sport’s production partner for its cricket coverage in New Zealand. The production company says both Gemmell and Fitzpatrick will be intrinsic in helping it deliver that project as well as developing further plans across the region. 

Gemmell  – also a native New Zealander – has presented rugby on Sky for more than 12 years, including Northern Hemisphere Internationals, the European Champions Cup and Rugby Championship from the Southern Hemisphere. He has also worked as a producer and presented the 2019 Rugby World Cup for Spark Sport, working with Head of Spark Sport, Jeff Latch. 

Gemmell’s new position will see him working closely with Spark again, managing Whisper’s growing relationship with the broadcaster, as well as working on new business opportunities across Australasia.

Former All Blacks captain Fitzpatrick, meanwhile – who won the World Cup in 1987 before going back to work on a building site the next day – will also spearhead Whisper’s continued push into rugby, with a focus on new business. 

Now Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, Fitzpatrick is also a board member for both Gallagher Premiership side Harlequins and Guinness PRO14 team Scarlets.