Wildstone appoints key executives for Australian market expansion

Wildstone, the prominent outdoor media infrastructure owner in Europe, has expanded its venture into Australia with two key appointments. Mitch Cook has been named as Commercial Director for Australia, and Amber Burbidge joins as a Commercial Executive. Both appointees have extensive backgrounds with oOh!media, the leading out-of-home (OOH) advertising company in the region.

Mitch Cook, who has 18 years of industry experience split between Australia and the UK, previously held positions at Ocean Outdoor in the UK and was part of the advertising team at London City Airport. His latest role before joining Wildstone was as Product Director for Small Format at oOh!media. In his new role, Cook will focus on enhancing partnerships between landowners and media partners, driving revenue growth, and spearheading efforts to further digitise Australia’s OOH sites.

Amber Burbidge brings 20 years of industry experience solely with oOh!media, where she most recently served as Senior Commercial Executive. At Wildstone, her responsibilities will mirror her previous role, concentrating on driving innovation and expansion, particularly in digital billboards. Additionally, she will play a part in strategic planning and market analysis.

Wildstone announced its foray into the Australian market earlier this year as part of its broader international expansion. Australia's OOH market, valued at AUD $1.07 billion, offers significant growth opportunities, especially in the digital revenue segment. Damian Cox, Founder and CEO of Wildstone, expressed confidence in the company's prospects in the new market.

"Our entry into the Australian market got off to a flying start when we secured Noel Cook as managing director earlier this year. We’re thrilled he’s now brought some of his most trusted and experienced former colleagues into the business," Cox said. "Mitch’s experience in both the UK and Australian markets will be invaluable as we work to replicate our European success in Australia. Meanwhile, Amber's two decades of expertise gleaned from various roles across the sales, operations and commercial divisions of the OOH industry will significantly enhance our capabilities."

Mitch Cook expressed his enthusiasm for joining Wildstone and the opportunities ahead. "Having spent a significant portion of my career in the UK, I saw Wildstone grow into one of the largest billboard infrastructure businesses in Europe and witnessed first-hand the quality service it provided both landowners and media operators," Cook said. "There is a race to digitise assets to match advertiser demand and Wildstone’s success in digitising its UK assets puts us in a great position to succeed in doing the same in Australia. The company’s entrepreneurial spirit, which was a key part of the attraction for me, will also help us excel in this market."

Amber Burbidge also shared her excitement about the new role. "I’m thrilled to be part of bringing Wildstone’s tried-and-tested business model to the Australian market. I’ve worked closely with Noel for most of my career, so with him heading up Wildstone Australia, it’s sure to be a success," Burbidge said.

Wildstone's expansion into Australia follows its successful growth across Europe, where it has acquired and developed more than 5,000 static and digital OOH assets since its establishment in 2010. The Australian market's double-digit growth and strong independent billboard media operators present a promising landscape for Wildstone’s continued international growth. The move is also seen as a stepping stone towards the company's potential expansion into other Asia-Pacific markets in the future.