Intersection hires KJ O'Connell to lead experiential sales

Intersection has hired KJ O'Connell as Director of Experiential Sales for its IRLX division, expanding leadership for the unit.

O'Connell will lead revenue for IRLX, Intersection's experiential arm, as the company continues to build that part of the business following the earlier appointment of Eva Rohan as Head of Experiential.

She brings more than 13 years of experience in brand partnerships and integrated media sales across luxury, fashion, beauty, consumer packaged goods and travel. Her background includes roles at AllWork, FEVO, L'Officiel USA and Condé Nast Traveller.

At Condé Nast Traveller, O'Connell received an award for Greatest Growth in Digital across the Condé Nast portfolio. Her work has included building revenue functions and closing programmes spanning live events, experiential activations, branded content and digital media.

IRLX sits within Intersection's broader out-of-home media and technology business, which operates in major US urban markets. Known for LinkNYC, Intersection says its network reaches more than 50 million people each month through more than 400,000 digital and static assets nationwide.

Its footprint includes New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston and San Francisco, as well as New Jersey, Seattle, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh and Portland.

Experiential push

The hire comes as brands devote more marketing budgets to in-person activations and other experiential work designed to connect with audiences in physical settings. Intersection has been expanding IRLX to meet that demand through pop-ups, street installations and other interactive formats tied to its out-of-home estate.

The strategy reflects a broader push by media owners to diversify revenue beyond traditional advertising inventory. For companies with large networks in transport systems and city environments, experiential work offers another way to sell campaigns that combine physical presence with branded content and digital distribution.

Intersection describes its business as a mix of advertising, consumer amenities and city information services. Its products include free internet access, wayfinding and real-time information services, with advertising and sponsored activations layered on top of that infrastructure.

The appointment also points to a deeper effort to formalise the commercial side of IRLX. By hiring a sales executive with experience across media and event-led partnerships, Intersection is adding more structure to how the division generates revenue from marketers seeking tailored activations.

Esther Raphael, Chief Marketing Officer at Intersection, outlined the company's view of the market in a statement on the hire.

"Modern audiences don't just consume brand stories; they want to live them," said Esther Raphael, Chief Marketing Officer at Intersection. "Doubling down on top experiential leadership is central to our momentum. KJ brings a unique skillset of converting high-impact physical experiences into real business outcomes, making her the perfect choice to elevate our experiential growth trajectory."

Market reach

Intersection's scale in US metropolitan areas is a central part of IRLX's pitch. The company says its media network allows brands to run campaigns across multiple city markets while also building bespoke activations in the same locations.

That combination is increasingly valuable for advertisers looking to link outdoor advertising with events, street-level marketing and social media distribution. Rather than treating outdoor media as a standalone channel, brands are using it as a base for campaigns that can be extended through live experiences and digital follow-on activity.

O'Connell's previous roles suggest Intersection is looking for someone with experience selling that blend of media, events and partnerships. Her work across publishing, ticketing and brand collaboration businesses fits a model in which experiential campaigns are sold not simply as ad placements but as broader commercial programmes.

Intersection has not disclosed financial details tied to the appointment or separate revenue figures for IRLX. It framed the move as part of continued investment in a division that is becoming more important to its overall offering to advertisers.

O'Connell has worked across luxury, fashion, beauty, consumer goods and travel, sectors that are often active buyers of experiential campaigns because they rely heavily on consumer engagement, trial and visual impact. Those categories are also among the most frequent users of street-level installations, branded events and content-led activations in major cities.

With O'Connell joining the business and Rohan already in place on the operational side of experiential work, Intersection is adding senior leadership across both execution and sales. The company says its network reaches more than 50 million people each month through more than 400,000 digital and static assets nationwide.