Talon promotes Luke Willbourn to Managing Director – UK
London, UK. June 2023: Talon, the pioneering global independent Out of Home (OOH) media agency, is pleased to announce the promotion of Luke Willbourn to the role of Managing Director-UK. In his new position, Luke will be responsible for the UK business – overseeing client and agency relationships, driving new business opportunities, and leading OOH growth initiatives. This promotion further strengthens Talon’s UK leadership team and reinforces the agency’s commitment to delivering effective, creative, and data-driven OOH communications.
Talon Names Luke Willbourn Managing Director-UK
Luke has worked at Talon for over nine years, and was promoted to Chief Client Officer in 2019, overseeing UK client and agency business. His promotion comes alongside the decision of James Copley to step down from his position as UK CEO and transition to a Founder role. As one of Talon’s co-founders, James has played a pivotal role in transforming the business from a challenger brand in the UK market to a global OOH agency alongside Eric Newnham, Frank Bryant and Barry Cupples.
Luke and James will collaborate closely as Luke leads the UK business, ensuring a seamless transition and continued success. In his position as Founder, James will support Luke and the wider leadership team to drive OOH growth in the UK market and beyond. Their efforts will be overseen by Group CEO Barry Cupples, who supports with strategic guidance and is responsible for Talon’s vision for growth.
Celebrating its tenth year, Talon partners with leading agencies including Omnicom Media Group, Havas, and Stagwell, delivering the most effective, innovative, and creative media solutions for OOH at global, national, and regional levels. Recent acquisitions of Evolve and Novus Media Canda Corp, as well as the appointment of Stewart Easterbrook as Chairman and now Luke’s promotion, have paved the way for continued accelerated growth.
“We are thrilled to promote Luke Willbourn to the role of Managing Director-UK,” said Barry Cupples, Group CEO of Talon. “Luke has been instrumental in driving our business forward with his strategic thinking, dedication to our clients, and commitment to excellence. Together with James’s expertise, Luke’s leadership will further solidify our position as the UK’s market- leading OOH agency.”
Reflecting on his journey, James Copley, Founder, said: “Co-founding Talon ten years ago, my aim was to work with Eric and Frank to build an independent OOH agency, staffed by outstanding talent that thrived on working closely with clients and agency partners. It has been incredibly rewarding to transform that dream into a reality alongside the entire Talon family. Having known and worked with Luke for over 20 years (9 years at Talon), I can confidently say there is no one better suited to lead Talon’s UK team and drive further growth.”
Luke Willbourn, Managing Director – UK, said: “I am excited to assume the role of Managing Director – UK at Talon. As we move forward, my primary focus will be on ensuring client satisfaction, driving agency and industry growth, and prioritising the wellbeing of our talented team. Talon is a pioneering OOH agency and our unwavering commitment to delivering creative, effective, data-driven OOH for our clients remains at the core of our values, and I am eager to lead our team to bring even more big ideas and showcase what’s possible when we think outside.”
