Simon Ryan

Simon Ryan is an Australian business executive. He is the founder and chief executive officer of RyanCap, a digital-first advertising and marketing communications company, and previously served as chief executive officer of Carat Australia and Dentsu Aegis Network Australia and New Zealand.

Career

In September 2009, Ryan joined Carat as managing director of its Melbourne office as part of a restructuring of the agency's Australian operations. He had previously worked at MediaCom for five years, where he was promoted to general manager shortly before his departure.

In September 2013, Ryan was appointed chief executive officer of Carat Australia and New Zealand. During his tenure as chief executive officer of Carat Australia and New Zealand, Ryan oversaw the agency's expansion of its programmatic advertising and data-driven media planning capabilities..

In February 2016, Ryan was appointed chief executive officer of Dentsu Aegis Network Australia and New Zealand, succeeding Luke Littlefield. He had previously served as chief executive officer of Carat Australia within the Dentsu Aegis Network group.

During Ryan’s tenure as chief executive officer of Dentsu Aegis Network Australia and New Zealand, the company acquired a majority stake in Brisbane-based digital marketing agency Search Factory, expanding iProspect’s presence in the Brisbane market. In March 2018, the network announced that customer experience agency Accordant, which it had acquired in 2017, would join the Isobar Group Australia and New Zealand. In June 2018, Dentsu Aegis Network launched M1, its people-based digital advertising platform, making Australia the second market after the United States to introduce the platform.

On 2 November 2018, Ryan resigned as chief executive officer of Dentsu Aegis Network Australia and New Zealand after serving in leadership roles within the company for nine years. He remained in the role while the company conducted an internal and external search for his successor. On the same day, it was announced Ryan was appointed managing director of commercial at ASX-listed company Carsales, succeeding Anthony Saines.

RyanCap

In June 2020, Ryan founded RyanCap, a digital-focused advertisement and marketing communications company based in Australia. He established the company with backing from a private investor and planned to expand the business across Australia's eastern seaboard.

In the same year, Ryan launched Ryvalmedia, the first agency established under RyanCap, and appointed former Carat Melbourne managing director Joseph Pardillo as its managing director. Ryvalmedia offered media, advertising technology (adtech) and marketing technology (martech) services.

In February 2021, Ryan launched WorldView and FOX_ID through RyanCap's data and technology business, Foxcatcher. The platforms were developed for programmatic media buying and consumer data analysis, and the company said they would support partnerships with Australian publishers to measure digital advertising performance outside of "walled gardens".

In May 2021, RyanCap announced a strategic investment in EMT Partners, an entertainment, media, sport and technology law and advisory firm co-founded by Trent Blacket and Peter Davey.

In September 2021, Ryan launched Tightrope, a business transformation consultancy within RyanCap, appointing former Accenture strategy director Stijn De Vriendt as its managing director. Tightrope became the third business established under the RyanCap group, alongside Ryvalmedia and Foxcatcher.

In July 2022, Ryan expanded Ryvalmedia into Sydney with the opening of a new office and appointed former Carat executive Bianca Falloon as general manager to lead its Sydney operations.

In November 2023, RyanCap was acquired by the French digital marketing company Labelium Group. Following the acquisition, Ryan and the existing management teams of Ryvalmedia, Foxcatcher and Tightrope remained in their roles, with no changes to the group's day-to-day operations.