Whisper’s partners have a wide range of complementary business experience spanning operations, investing and transactions. They bring extensive relationships in the media and technology industries in service of their clients’ interests.
Whisper is uniquely positioned to help its clients execute transaction, develop winning strategies, provide practical operating and organizational know-how, and offer connectivity at the highest levels to execute and achieve successful outcomes.
Securities are offered through Finalis Securities LLC Member FINRA/SIPC. Whisper and Finalis Securities LLC are separate, unaffiliated entities.
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ED WILSON
Ed Wilson is an entrepreneurial-minded, modern media executive who moves seamlessly between traditional and emerging media and gracefully from the executive boardroom to the free-thinking space of content and talent development.
Ed has held top-level executive roles at major media companies, including serving as President of Tribune Broadcasting, FOX Television Network, NBC Enterprises, and CBS Enterprises. Ed recently was the Executive Chairman of Timeline Labs, a social intelligence network acquired by SeaChange International, a TV software company.
Ed was a partner at New Form Digital, a studio that develops and produces scripted content for digital platforms. He is an advisor to Apollo Investment Corporation and serves as Executive Chairman of CoxReps.
CRAIG JACOBSON
Craig Jacobson is a premier corporate, media and entertainment lawyer and experienced business strategist. He is one of the three founders of Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush & Kaller, LLP, a firm whose practice encompasses media, motion pictures, television, streaming music and emerging digital endeavors.
Craig has advised the CEOs and founders of some of the largest media and technology companies globally. He currently serves on the boards of the Expedia Corporation and Charter Communications. He previously served as a board member for Ticketmaster, Eventful, and Aver Media. Craig is also a founder, along with Imagine Entertainment, Discovery Communication and ITV, of New Form Digital, a pioneer in short form digital programming.
Craig received his B.A. from Brown University and his J.D. from George Washington University. With his wife, Lynn, the Jacobsons have endowed a scholarship at Brown and are supporters of the Los Angeles chapters of KIPP and Teach for America. They live in Santa Monica, CA and are avid collectors of contemporary art.
JASON L RAPP
Jason L. Rapp is an experienced corporate M&A executive and an accomplished operator of and investor in digital media companies. Before co-founding Whisper, Jason was the Managing Director and Partner at Science Inc., the Santa Monica, California investment firm that helped to build Dollar Shave Club (sold to Unilever) FameBit (sold to Google) and many other companies.
As an operator, Jason has run traditional media operations and disruptive new start-ups. As an investor and strategy executive, has executed complex media partnerships and over a billion dollars in M&A transactions.
Jason was a senior executive in Barry Diller's IAC corporation (Nasdaq:IACI), having run the M&A group and then as CEO of Gifts.com, the leading gift recommendation engine. Before joining IAC, Jason was an executive at The New York Times company (NYSE:NYT).
Jason received an MBA degree from Columbia University and an AB degree from Duke University. A Pittsburgh native (and New Yorker at heart), he lives in Santa Monica and serves on the LA committee of Human Rights Watch.
Jason is a Registered Representative of Finalis Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.
KYLE SOLOMON
Kyle Solomon is an accomplished leader with a successful 30-year career history in the financial industry. Kyle has extensive experience in investment banking, public and private markets, and scaling businesses.
Before Whisper, Kyle was a Managing Director at TD Cowen. Kyle led their Derivatives and Merger Arbitrage division for 10 years, until transitioning to become a Senior Relationship Investment Banker.
Kyle received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Kyle is based in New York City. Kyle is a Registered Representative of Finalis Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC
ARIZONA SEMONES
Arizona is a Mergers and Acquisitions associate at Whisper Advisors. She assists in all aspects of the M&A transaction process such as investment due diligence and investor outreach. Before joining Whisper, Arizona worked as a business and operations associate at Cloud Kitchens.
Arizona received her B.S. in Business and Marketing from New York University with a minor in Mandarin.