It’s funny how this industry works. You spend years crossing paths with the same people, hearing their names in the right rooms, seeing the work, clocking the reputation. Every now and then, those paths line up again at exactly the right time.
That’s what this feels like.
Julie-Ann Hedges has joined Hemisphere as Rangatira Pāpāho Senior Media Lead. On paper, you could see it as another great hire. In reality, it feels more like a reunion. She and Upoko Pāpāho Head of Media, Katrina Richmond go back. Properly back. The kind of history where you know how someone thinks, how they handle pressure, and how they treat people when it counts. And having just marked 20 years at Hemisphere, Katrina knows what good looks like.
“She’s one of those rare people,” Katrina says. “The kind who makes every team better. Not just because she’s sharp, but because of how she shows up for people. You learn over time who the real ones are. Julie-Ann’s one of them.”
Julie-Ann’s career spans GSL Network (now Hemisphere), TVNZ, Total Media, Carat, MediaCom, and Sneakers Media. Client side, agency side, media owner side. All of which make her someone you trust to find the answer and bring people with her. “I’ve always admired what Hemisphere does,” she says. “It’s strategic, grounded in culture, and trying to make a genuine difference. When the opportunity came up, it felt pretty straightforward.”
Kaiarataki Managing Director Dr Tim Antric sees it as building on existing momentum. “Julie-Ann strengthens what we’re building. She brings experience, trust, and a real passion for the work. She knows how to create advertising that actually shifts behaviour.”
Which is the whole job, really.
And sometimes the best moves are simple. Get the right people in the room, at the right time.
Want to work with Katrina, Julie-Ann and the team?
Get in touch to see how we can help with your next campaign.
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