by Amber Larkins, OOH Today
We recently posted our annual list of the Top Women Driving Growth in OOH for 2025. Today, we are highlighting Shabnam Irilian, Managing Director, billups
Discovering out-of home via a college internship, Shabnam Irilian, Managing Director at billups, has worked in media for 20 years. After cutting her teeth on entertainment, automotive and retail brands in LA, she spent 6 years in the UK leading direct client and independent agency business before shifting into International and Business Operations roles. Shabnam joined billups in 2021 where she leads Client Services and Business Development as Managing Director. She has a passion for coaching and developing people, and leading clients in integrated media strategies to bring ideas to life.
Throughout her career, she says her parents have been the most valuable resource.
“They instilled in me a strong work ethic, the confidence to speak up for myself, and the compassion to look out for others,” Shabnam said. “To look out for others, to move through my life and career with integrity, to treat others with fairness, and have the strength to expect others to do the same.”
“Like many, I fell into OOH on accident,” Shabnam says. “When looking for internships, I was pointed in the direction of OOH when my professor clocked that I seemed to be interested in ‘everything’.”
Between the creativity, storytelling, and focus on process, she was hooked.
Driving Growth in OOH
She has been a strong advocate for collaboration and integration across her career, whether it was running Netflix’s first launch for Arrested Development, activating Apple campaigns across the UK, or watching her team turn the Hollywood sign blue for the Dodgers World Series win.
“Driving growth in OOH is best achieved with an integrated approach. My greatest OOH successes have been when I’ve planned activations alongside other channel leads, taking a 360 approach to the consumer experience,” Shabnam said.
“Driving growth in OOH is best achieved with an integrated approach. My greatest OOH successes have been when I’ve planned activations alongside other channel leads, taking a 360 approach to the consumer experience,” Shabnam said.
She believes to get a larger share of total ad spend that it is critical to lean into technology and continue automating processes.
“OOH will always be a physical medium, that is at the core of its beauty and what makes it wonderful and valuable. But we need to support everything from planning to photography, and in a way that is consistent and accessible to all buy-side and supply-side partners, especially independents,” Shabnam said.
She wants to see actual collaboration on the supply side and buy side. On the supply side, she says it would ensure new asset development is consistent across markets, and to give OOH a real shot at being bought at national scale. On the buy side, she said she wants to see real pressure to support this happening.
“When we make it easier for brands to engage with the channel, then our share can actually grow,” Shabnam said.
Women Will Keep Rising
Shabnam’s integrated and collaborative approach extends to how women can gain more equity in leadership in the workplace. She believes leaders should take a strong role in uplifting women.
“There will always be a struggle if we only look to women to be the solution. We need leaders who, if they haven’t already, are willing to be brave, break up the ‘club’ and invite others to the table,” Shabnam said. “Women will keep rising. Women will continue to lead successful businesses, and those who refuse to see the value of a balanced organization are only hurting themselves.”
“There will always be a struggle if we only look to women to be the solution. We need leaders who, if they haven’t already, are willing to be brave, break up the ‘club’ and invite others to the table,” Shabnam said. “Women will keep rising. Women will continue to lead successful businesses, and those who refuse to see the value of a balanced organization are only hurting themselves.”
And if reading this line annoys you, then the message is probably for you. Shabnam has several key pieces of advice for women who may be facing challenges in the workplace:
- Do your job and do it well.
- Ensure you’re getting credit for your work. Find out what it will take for you to be the person to email the client the media plan that YOU worked so hard on. Don’t let others unfairly get credit for your work by association.
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Self-advocate. Do you want to move to another country? Tell your company every review cycle. Passion for an analyst role when it opens? Tell them now. Want to understand how you can increase your earning potential? Ask the question!
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Be yourself to build real relationships. Anyone can just go through the motions, but everyone will see through that. Be yourself and be kind. Remember we work in a reciprocal industry. It’s easier to ask for help rather than demand action.
All in all, more women can find themselves in better growth positions and in more positions of executive leadership in OOH by being BRAVE and being open to things being done differently.
“Women can get into more positions of executive leadership in OOH by focusing on outcomes and being less concerned about things being done “the way they always have been,” by creating space for the generations that are rising through the ranks so they can see there are opportunities to strive for, rather than seeing limitations on how much they can grow their career in the industry.”
What Colleagues Say
Shabnam’s industry colleague described her as follows:
“Shabnam shows outstanding leadership in driving revenue growth. As the leader of our West Coast Territory, Shabnam has proven herself as a powerful force in shaping the future of OOH, working with some of the most prestigious brands, including Nike and Expedia.
Over the past year, Shabnam’s leadership has directly contributed to a 30% increase in her clients’ OOH investments, showcasing not only her exceptional ability to drive revenue growth but also her ability to connect with clients and deliver meaningful strategies that drive results and revenue. Her results speak volumes, but what truly sets Shabnam apart is her commitment to innovation and learning. She is constantly curious, always looking for opportunities to stay ahead of industry trends and integrate new technologies into the business.
As Programmatic OOH began to gain traction, Shabnam took the reins to help billups scale its PDOOH business. Her ability to take on emerging challenges, lead strategic initiatives, and inspire her team to embrace new technologies has been a key driver of billups’ success in this rapidly evolving space.
As a female boss, she advocates tirelessly for women in the workforce, particularly for mothers. She fosters an inclusive and supportive work environment where work-life balance is respected and where everyone is encouraged to thrive both personally and professionally. Shabnam’s leadership is a true blend of results-driven performance and a deep commitment to her team’s well-being.”
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