Nick Lawson lands new role after leaving EssenceMediacom

Nick Lawson, former global chief executive of EssenceMediacom, has revealed his new appointment as chairman of out-of-home media owner I-media.

I-media specialises in the operation of motorway advertising screens and billboards with a presence at more than 130 roadside locations in the UK.

Lawson joins the business at a time of growth, following a management buy-out by Mayfair Equity Partners last year. Alongside the I-media management team, Mayfair Equity Partners now owns a majority stake in the business.

I-media has utilised the investment to expand its digital offerings into experiential marketing and enhance its programmatic capabilities, which have included the rollout of technology and data-processing tools to make customer and vehicle data available for targeted advertising.

Before leaving EssenceMediacom in late 2024, Lawson had been at WPP for more than 33 years. During that time, he worked with Stephen Allan, now executive chairman of Brainlabs, who is also an investor in I-media.

Jonathan Lewis, chief executive of I-media, said: “Nick joining is a hugely exciting moment for the business and I am thrilled to be working with him. I-media has undergone a programme of rapid transformation, and Nick’s rich experience and leadership, and his deep understanding of the industry, will fuel the next stage of our journey. As a team, we are well-positioned to take advantage of the transforming media industry by leveraging data and technology to maximise and measure returns for some of the world’s biggest brands.”

Lawson said he was looking forward to being part of the growth of the programmatic digital OOH sector.

He added: “The rapidly growing opportunity in programmatic OOH advertising is transforming media like never before – and I am delighted to join a company at the forefront of this change.”