Woolworths executive Mike Tyquin courted for oOh! Media role

Sydney-based oOh! Media is the largest outdoor advertising company in Australia. Picture: Supplied.

New names have surfaced as potential candidates to replace oOh! Media chief executive Cathy O’Connor, with a Woolworths executive said to be in the line up.

DataRoom understands that senior media industry executive Mike Tyquin is being considered for the job.

Mr Tyquin runs the Woolworths retail media business Cartology and was the former chief executive of Adshel, which is now part of oOh! Media.

He also worked at oOh! Media until 2007, before it gained control of Adshel.

Former Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin may also be considered, sources say, while head hunters are believed to have their eye on current Seven West Media boss Jeff Howard.

Earlier, ex-Seven West Media boss James Warburton was in the mix but has been ruled out after he returned to the Supercars business to become its chief executive, as announced this week.

At least two headhunters, one being Korn Ferry, are involved in the process of selecting a new oOh! Media boss.

oOh! Media announced in April Ms O’Connor will step down in the second half of this year after leading the company for more than four years.

She was appointed in 2021 after running radio broadcaster Nova Entertainment and came highly regarded.

But, the group has failed to gain traction, with its share price suffering amid tough industry conditions and last year there was chatter that Nine Entertainment could be eyeing the business, but is no longer believed to be a suitor.

The outdoor advertiser’s share price earlier this year had been at about a quarter of what it was before the pandemic — valued at about six times its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, compared to about nine times previously.

The market value is now about $900m, but it outlaid about $580m to buy rival Adshel from what was previously HT&E (now ARN Media) in 2018, which was before Ms O’Connor’s time.

There was criticism former management not only overpaid, but integrated the business poorly, making performance targets difficult to achieve.

Market experts believe a new boss may need to refocus the business and exit certain areas of the outdoor advertising industry to satisfy clients looking for operators with a niche expertise.

Sydney-based oOh! Media is Australia’s largest operator of out of home advertising products and also operates in New Zealand.

It said its improved performance in the second half of the 2024 calendar year accelerated in the first quarter of this year, with total revenue growth of 13 per cent and growth in Australian media revenue of 16 per cent, in line with the Outdoor Media Association.

The second quarter performance is expected to be similar to the first quarter, with improved share outcomes reflecting effective action taken to drive revenue growth.

Continuing market share improvement was expected for the remainder of the 2025 calendar year as new assets from contracts announced in 2023 and 2024 come online.