Wildstone expands Australian team amid digital billboard growth

Wildstone has expanded its team in Australia with three new appointments in response to the growth of its operations since launching in the country last year.

The company has announced the recruitment of Scott Sargeant as Commercial Director, Zaneta Pawlik as Strategy and Operations Director, and Crystal Ku as Senior Legal Counsel. This brings the Australian team to a total of six members.

Scott Sargeant joins Wildstone after more than 17 years at oOh!media, where he worked in several roles including sales, billboard product management, and commercial negotiations. At Wildstone, Sargeant will be responsible for growing the national billboard portfolio, focusing on acquisitions, partnerships, and the digitisation of existing sites.

Zaneta Pawlik brings previous experience from oOh!media and Primesight, which is now Global, as well as her most recent role as Media, Product and Client Success Leader for APAC at Dentsu. In her new capacity at Wildstone, Pawlik will drive sustainable growth, ensure operational efficiency, and coordinate local activities with those of the company's global operations.

Crystal Ku has over 12 years of legal experience in real estate, with her most recent position as Senior Legal Counsel at Aqualand Australia. She has previously worked at Herbert Smith Freehills and Lendlease. Ku now assumes responsibility for Australia-related legal matters, a function previously managed by Wildstone's UK head office team.

Commenting on his new role, Scott Sargeant said: "I have always been passionate about the Australian OOH market. Having gained significant experience working for the country's largest player, I'm excited to apply my expertise to further grow digital infrastructure across Australia in partnership with a multitude of media operators of all sizes."

Zaneta Pawlik stated: "Wildstone's vision aligns strongly with my own values around innovation, collaboration and purpose-led work. The chance to work alongside a respected leader like Noel Cook, in an environment that values both ambition and integrity, was inspiring. I knew this would prove a great opportunity to help build and transform a business during a pivotal stage."

Crystal Ku said: "As the first legal hire in Australia, my main goal is to help the team achieve its goals; my aim is to free up the deal team so they can actually focus on the deals. Since moving to in-house roles, I've really enjoyed getting closer to the business side of things and I'm excited to now be joining a company that is in such a rapid period of expansion."

Noel Cook, Managing Director for Wildstone Australia, said: "Wildstone's sale and leaseback model has done tremendously well in the company's home market of the UK and I'm really pleased it's now been so well-received in the Australian market. Already we've seen a large amount of interest in our unique proposition from independent media operators across the country. Despite beginning operations in the market only a year ago, we've already been able to grow the team significantly and attract really talented people into the business. I believe the business has a lot more growth potential in Australia."

Wildstone owns more than 5,400 outdoor advertising assets globally, operating primarily through a sale and leaseback model. This approach involves purchasing classic advertising assets from operators, often with the aim of digitising these sites. After investing in infrastructure upgrades, Wildstone then leases the upgraded sites back to the original operators, who continue to manage media sales. This process allows operators to free up capital and gain access to digital inventory.

In Australia, Wildstone has already completed two sale and leaseback deals and is in discussions regarding further acquisitions. The company's approach has attracted attention from independent media operators across Australia, with the expansion of its local team reflecting growing demand for its services in the region.