publisher’s note:
I have worked with Ryan Laul for over 20 years in OOH and can think of few individuals who know the OOH Industry as well and no one better suited to lead an OOH agency. Recalling a discussion with Eric Newnham at the Annual OOH Conference in Austin in 2018, Newnham declared he was moving into the US with Talon. Since that time, I have been closely following Talon, as they have made a number of solid inroads into the US as Eric said he would. I can say without reservation, this is the best hire Talon has made since moving to the States. Let’s hope the Brits can stay out of the way and allow Laul the latitude to grow it.
Talon appoints Ryan Laul as North America Chief Executive Officer
New York, — Talon, the global independent Out of Home (OOH) agency, today announced the appointment of Ryan Laul as its North American CEO. Laul will lead the continued growth of Talon’s business in North America, assuming the role on June 23, 2024. Reporting into Sue Frogley, Group CEO, Laul will join Talon’s global board.
Laul is a seasoned OOH media executive with an excellent track record of delivering growth and overseeing commercial investment across all media disciplines. He brings a wealth of OOH and Digital experience, joining Talon from Omnicom where he spent the last 13 years, initially as President of Outdoor Media Group, the largest OOH specialist in North America, managing OOH spend across over 200 clients, including 8 of the top 12 OOH spenders in the US. Most recently he served as President of OMnet, Omnicom’s principal investment group.
Under Laul’s leadership, Omnicom executed the largest data-driven OOH campaign, integrated mobile audience data into fundamental planning and buying, developed the largest demand-side resource for DOOH media and became the first company ever to establish a cinema upfront with the nation’s largest supplier.
Before that he started his OOH career at Zenith Media and then moved to Outdoor Vision/ Posterscope where he spearheaded the Digital Division – Hyperspace.
Laul also sits on the board of directors of the Advertising Club of New York, helping to provide leadership in connecting the OOH industry with young professionals and previously sat on the Agency Advisory Boards of the OAAA, DPAA and Geopath.
According to recent data released by the OAAA, Out of home (OOH) advertising revenue increased 6.8% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the previous year, accounting for $1.94 billion. This is a continuing growth trend based on the medium’s growth trajectory and increased revenue reported in 2023.
Sue Frogley, Group CEO, said: “Ryan is a values-driven business leader with exceptional strategic capabilities. I am delighted to have someone of Ryan’s caliber with deep Out of Home and Digital experience leading our North America business. I look forward to working with Ryan and our teams to deliver Talon’s next chapter of growth.”
Ryan Laul said: “Out of Home has long been my passion and I cannot wait to return to this exciting industry. Talon has an innovative and evolving business model in North America and I look forward to not only enabling Talon to realize its full potential as the leading OOH Agency in North America but secure the medium’s role in the broader advertising ecosystem and propel the industry forward.”
Stewart Easterbrook, Chairman, said “Following rigorous selection processes I am thrilled to have both Sue and Ryan join Talon later this month. Their strength and experience leading global media businesses will deliver great results on both sides of the pond. I am hugely excited for them to join and to work together to drive the ambition of Talon and deliver business performance.”
About Talon:
Talon is a pioneering, global independent Out of Home (OOH) media agency focused on delivering effective, creative, data-driven integrated OOH communications. Combining independence with a collaborative approach, Talon promotes open and transparent working relationships between many of the world’s leading agencies, clients and media partners. Headquartered in London with offices in Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Manchester, Nashville, New York, Singapore and Toronto, Talon delivers expertise at the global, national, regional and local levels. Additionally, the agency has built a global OOH planning and buying network – Talon International – covering 100 markets across the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America. Visit www.talonooh.com