JCDecaux SA [1], worldwide outdoor advertising company, has named Paul J. Meyer as president of Digital Sign Services, a new division of JCDecaux North America.
[2]Meyer has served for more than 10 years as president and CEO of the Americas Division of Clear Channel Outdoor [3], where, during his tenure, he pioneered the development of Clear Channel’s successful digital billboard networks in more than 30 U.S. markets. He also has served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America [4], including as chairman, and on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Traffic Audit Bureau [5], the non-profit, independent audience measurement company, whose members are principally outdoor advertising companies and major U.S. advertisers and their agencies.
“I am very pleased that Paul will be joining our company to lead our effort to expand into the U.S. billboard business generally, but most importantly, to bring his extensive experience and expertise to bear when helping us capitalize on our recent success in partnering with the City of Chicago to deploy a major digital network along Chicago’s expressways,” says Jean-François Decaux, chairman of the Executive Board and Co-CEO of JCDecaux. “I’m looking forward to working with Paul to bring this exciting new opportunity to all of the major U.S. cities.”
“I have long-admired JCDecaux for its fierce but fair competitiveness, and its focus on consistently delivering its advertisers a high standard quality product, while at the same time enhancing city streetscapes and energizing airport, railway and subway environment,” says Meyer. “Interestingly, my experience competing with JCDecaux in the European markets during the period I also ran Clear Channel Outdoor’s International Division shaped my view that digital billboards in the U.S. are most effective when sold in the types of networks that are the model for European street furniture. I cannot be more enthusiastic about playing an integral role in helping JCDecaux to build a powerful digital billboard presence in the U.S..”
The JCDecaux Group’s reveneues were €2,623 million in 2012. The company is considered #1 worldwide in street furniture with 434,700 advertising panels. It also claims to be #1 in transport advertising with more than 150 airports and more than 280 contracts in metros, buses, trains and tramways (358,100 advertising panels); #1 in Europe for billboards (199,600 advertising panels); #1 in outdoor advertising in the Asia-Pacific region (205,000 advertising panels); and #1 worldwide for self-service bicycle hire. It has 1,002,800 advertising panels in more than 55 countries and is present in 3,700 cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants.