Wildstone, a player in the outdoor advertising infrastructure sector, has expanded its Australian team from three to six members. This strategic move comes as the company seeks to capitalise on its growing presence in the Australian market.

The new appointments include Scott Sargeant as Commercial Director, Zaneta Pawlik as Strategy and Operations Director, and Crystal Ku as Senior Legal Counsel. Each brings a wealth of experience to their respective roles.

Sargeant joins Wildstone following a long tenure at oOh!media, where he spent over 17 years honing his skills in sales, billboard product management, and commercial negotiations. "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," Sargeant said.

Pawlik also brings substantial experience to Wildstone, having worked with oOh!media and Primesight, now known as Global. Most recently, she served as Media, Product and Client Success Leader for APAC at Dentsu. "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," Pawlik stated.

Ku, with over 12 years of legal real estate experience, has held previous roles at Aqualand Australia, Herbert Smith Freehills, and Lendlease. "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," Ku said.

Wildstone's business model, which involves buying classic outdoor advertising assets, digitising them, and leasing them back to the original operators, is reportedly gaining traction in Australia. The company has already completed two deals and has more in negotiation. Wildstone is recognised as the largest owner of outdoor advertising infrastructure globally, with a portfolio exceeding 5,400 assets.

The company has been operating in Australia since May of the previous year, and its expansion is attributed to the success of its business model in the UK and its reception in the Australian market. "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," Noel Cook, Managing Director for Wildstone Australia, said.