Jean-Claude Decaux (15 September 1937 – 27 May 2016)[1] was a French businessman and [2][3] founder of advertising company JCDecaux.

[2][3] Jean-Claude Decaux was the son of a shoe salesman in Beauvais, France.

[6][7][8] At the age of 18, inspired by an argument with his father over the family shoe store's window display, Jean-Claude started a business creating billboards along French roadways.

[4] In 1963, legislation in France placed restrictions on billboard use which forced Decaux out of business.

[10] He made a deal with the city of Lyon, proposing that he would build bus shelters and keep them clean in exchange for advertising space there.