Francois has worked in media for over 20 years. In 1996 he was the president of Canada’s largest consumer publishing company (titles such as TV Guide and Elle). As co-CEO of Telemedia he oversaw the creation of one of Canada’s largest Radio companies (over 80 radio stations). He and his siblings sold all their media properties (magazines and radio) by the end of 2002 in order to focus on the growing billboard industry, specifically indoor billboards with their acquisition of Zoom Media in its entirety in 2003 (having been shareholders since 1995). He has been the Chairman of Zoom since 2001 and the Chairman and CEO since 2003. He has identified the future of the company as “going digital”. Zoom currently owns over 80,000 targeted billboards (mostly in North America, but with a significant presence in the UK) and has recently installed & acquired over 26,000 are digital screens.
Francois is the Executive Chairman of Ayuda Media Systems, builders of BMS.net (Billboard Management System), a software that caters to all the operational needs of the Out Of Home (OOH) industry.
He is also a Board Member of the Traffic Audit Bureau (TAB), the US governing body which regulates the $8 billion spent on the OOH industry. He also chairs the TAB's Marketing & Membership Committee. He chaired previous TAB Conferences including TAB's 2010 Conference Committee.
Additionally he is the Chairman of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) Street, Transit and Alternative Board (STAR). He is also a member of the OAAA’s Board, a member of the Marketing Committee and is on the 2009 Conference Committee.
He is a Board member of the Digital Placed Based Advertising Association (DPAA), chairs their Marketing Committee and chairs their yearly Digital Media Summit.
He has represented the OOH industry on various industry panels like the American Advertising Agency Association (AAAA). He is also a member of the Canadian Media Directors' Council, the Out-of-Home Marketing Association of Canada (OMAC).
He is a member of the Canadian Advisory Board of the Harvard Business School.
A graduate of Harvard Business School with distinction, 1989. Haverford College BA with Honors, 1985. Elected Phi Beta Kappa.
He strives to assist various non profit organizations such as: Co-President of the Alzheimer Society of Montreal 2011, the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism, Co-President of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Jewish General Hospital Foundation (Board Member and chair of the Communication and Marketing Committee).
He married his soul mate and they have two adorable daughters.