oOh!media has appointed UnLtd CEO Chris Freel to the newly created position of group sales director – Australia as part of a sales consolidation that brings agency, direct, boutique and independent (DBI) teams under single leadership.
oOh! said this unified structure strengthens oOh!’s cross-functional sales approach, driving greater collaboration and accountability, and providing an aligned approach to sales strategy and business planning.
Reporting to Paul Sigaloff, chief revenue and growth officer, Freel will lead the combined team when he joins oOh! on 12 February.
Sigaloff said: “As we continue to lead the Out of Home industry towards a digital-first future, uniting our agency and DBI sales teams will strengthen our proposition in the market. This will streamline our operations and ensure that we continue to deliver an optimal experience for advertising and agency partners, enabling them to leverage oOh!’s national network to make brands unmissable.”
A leader with a track record of accelerating growth and building new revenue streams. Freel joins oOh! after more than six years as CEO of social purpose organisation UnLtd which connects the media, marketing and creative industries with charities helping children and young people at risk. Prior to that, he gained extensive digital media sales leadership experience having worked at Fairfax Media as national agency sales director and commercial director of Pandora.
Sigaloff said: “Chris has an extensive background in building high performing sales teams in competitive media sectors. His transformative leadership style brings infectious energy and a rare ability to build momentum, fostering strong and influential working relationships at all levels. Chris is well positioned to ensure oOh! continues to capitalise on its dominant market position and lead our new premium Sydney network, including Sydney Metro, the Metro Martin Place shopping precinct and Woollahra Council, all of which are set to go live this year. I welcome him to oOh!.”
Freel added: “I’m excited to be joining such an incredibly talented group of people at oOh! who are leading the way in Out of Home. It’s an exciting time for the industry as we embrace digital transformation and advanced measurement capabilities and I look forward to working together with the team and our advertising partners as we navigate through this change.”
Tim Elder, head of sales – DBI, continues in his role and will also work on special projects within the revenue and growth team. Wade James who was previously in the role of national head of agency sales, is moving on from oOh! to pursue other opportunities.
Sigaloff added: “I want to thank Wade for his time at oOh! and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. I look forward to continuing working alongside Tim to further leverage oOh!’s scale and to deliver even better outcomes for our customers.”
