Cricket Australia appoints Supercars’ Cole Hitchcock as communications manager
Longtime Supercars general manager of corporate affairs, Cole Hitchcock, has joined Cricket Australia as communications manager for men’s cricket Mumbrella can reveal.
Hitchcock left Supercars in August, after almost 15 years in the role. He held the position from 2004 to 2015 before leaving for Queensland Tourism and Events. He returned in 2016 at the request of then-CEO James Warburton when his replacement, Nick Johnston, retired from the role after just over a year. Johnston is now general manager media and communications for the NBL.
Hitchcock has been with Supercars for almost 15 years
Johnston had joined from the AFL, having worked with the Greater Western Sydney Giants, and at Nine. He chose to leave the role shortly after due to being unable to commit to the travel and schedule required.
Cricket Australia said it was delighted to have Hitchcock on board, and that his reputation as one of the best communications professionals in Australian sport would help the business further its relationship with broadcasters, journalists and teams.
Describing his signing as a “massive coup”, the organisation confirmed his first port of call would be the Twenty20 Internationals against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in October and November.
Prior to his career in communications, Hitchcock was a touring cricket writer who often went around the world with the national team.
Supercars recently appointed ex-Australian Army public affairs officer Felicity Hamblin into the communications role, with the job relocating from the Gold Coast to North Sydney. Hitchcock will complete a handover with Hamblin before moving across to Cricket Australia.
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Smart move by both.
Cole is brilliant.
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Brilliant appointment. Cricket’s gain.
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Congratulations to Cole and a well merited appointment to a true professional and gentleman … worked with Cole in the 1980s when he came down from Bundaberg as a young journo to join the Daily Sun in Brisbane and have followed his career since. There are a lot of “old school” values with Cole which are not always evident with communications people these days.
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