John Osborn, who stepped down as CEO of OMD earlier this year following a 30-plus year career at Omnicom, has joined advertising decarbonization platform Ad Net Zero as director of its U.S. operations.
His appointment follows Ad Net Zero’s rollout during the Cannes Lions festival last summer, which was endorsed by Dentsu, Havas, Interpublic, Omnicom, Publicis and WPP, as well as client Unilever, and big tech companies Google, Meta and Europe’s Sky.
As director of U.S. operations for Ad Net Zero, Osborn will be responsible for helping the company meet its goal of making the advertising industry carbon-neutral by 2030. He will also work with brands and agencies to develop strategies for reducing their carbon footprints.
Osborn is no stranger to the world of sustainability; during his tenure at OMD, he helped the agency become a leader in sustainable marketing practices. Under his leadership, OMD won recognition from Climate Change Business Journal as the “Best Advertising/PR Agency” for its work on behalf of Walmart and other clients. In addition, Osborn was instrumental in OMD becoming the first signatory of The Carbon Neutral Protocol—a set of standards for businesses seeking to offset their carbon emissions.
At Ad Net Zero, Osborn will be working with CEO Nina Schultz and COO Stefan Schmidt to help the company meet its ambitious goals. “John is a visionary leader with a proven track record of championing sustainable business practices,” said Schultz in a statement. “We are thrilled to have him on board as we continue our mission to decarbonize the advertising industry.”
Osborn’s appointment is a coup for Ad Net Zero; his experience and expertise will be invaluable as the company looks to meet its goals over the next decade. It’s also a clear signal that sustainability is becoming an increasingly important consideration for ad agencies and their clients—a trend that is sure to continue in the years to come.
