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SBS managing director James Taylor has been appointed CEO of out-of-home advertising company oOh!media (ASX: OML) to replace Cathy O’Connor who will step down in the second half of this year after more than four years leading the group.
The move represents a major shift for Taylor, who has been with the government-funded Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) for 13 years and almost seven of those as managing director.
OML describes Taylor as “an influential senior media executive who brings significant and diverse industry experience from over 25 years working in Australian media”.
Taylor has previously held senior leadership roles at Deloitte, British Telecom and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and OML says he will bring to the group experience in “corporate strategy, operational efficiency and organisational transformation”.
O’Connor announced in April her plans to retire as CEO of OML, citing that “the time is right for new leadership to deliver oOh!’s next multi-year phase of strategy execution and growth”.
OML rebounded from a disappointing first half to post a 3 per cent increase in revenue to $635.6 million in calendar 2024, driving net profit 3.7 per cent higher to $43.3 million.
However, net profit before tax after tax was 3.4 per cent lower at $60.3 million.
Taylor is not expected to take the reins at OML until late 2025 or early 2026, but O’Connor will remain with the company until January 2026 to ensure an orderly transition.
The company says that since leading SBS, Taylor has overseen growth of the broadcaster’s digital and technology platforms, notably SBS On Demand, while delivering strong advertising revenue growth and increasing total audience consumption.
The company says he also has “deep industry relationships across the media and advertising industries”.
“We are delighted to welcome James Taylor as our incoming managing director and CEO,” says Tony Faure, the chair of OML.
“James is a proven leader in the media industry with a strong track record of delivery and execution, and we are excited about the growth-oriented vision and energy he brings to the company,” says Faure.
OML describes Taylor as “the right person to lead oOh! through its next multi-year phase of strategy execution and growth given his strong track record of execution demonstrated throughout his career”.
Taylor is looking forward to the challenge.
“I’m thrilled to be joining oOh! at such an exciting time for the business and the out-of-home sector, the fastest growing sector in the Australian media landscape,” he says.
“I look forward to bringing my experience working in diverse media organisations to oOh!, as well as working collaboratively with the board and management team to supercharge the delivery of our strategy for the benefit of our customers, people and shareholders.”
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