Authentic Appoints Liberated Brands as Key Partner for Iconic Action and Outdoor Sports Brands Across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Indonesia
Through the partnership, Liberated takes on Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Element, VonZipper, Honolua and more across the key regions
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, today announces an expansion of its strategic partnership with Liberated Brands (Liberated), to take on Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Element, VonZipper, Honolua and more across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Indonesia.
Through the partnership, Liberated takes on the operations of the brands’ extensive retail network of more than 200 locations, as well as e-commerce and marketing operations for the group of globally renowned action brands across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Indonesia. Supporting a seamless transition, Greg Healy, Global and APAC President of the former Boardriders company, will transition into a new role as Liberated’s President of APAC, overseeing a strategic growth framework for Liberated’s brand portfolio across key regions.
“We are thrilled to announce our expanded partnership with Authentic,” said Todd Hymel, Founder and CEO of Liberated. “With a shared vision of enhancing the retail experience for consumers, both online and in-store, we look forward to introducing seamless shopping experiences, curated collections and unique experiences that resonate with a dedicated and growing audience.”
Liberated’s expertise in transforming action sports brands into full lifestyle offerings, combined with Authentic’s industry-leading brand development capabilities, empowers the brands to welcome a fresh infusion of energy. The partnership offers new perspectives that embrace the rich heritage of each brand while preserving the principles they are revered for.
"We are excited to welcome a new chapter of growth for these iconic brands,” said David Brooks, EVP, Action & Outdoor Sports, Lifestyle, Authentic. "These regions hold a special significance for Quiksilver and Billabong, as both brands were born amidst the vibrant surf culture of Australia. There is no better leader than Greg to continue connecting the brands with an active and passionate community that shares our same love for surf and lifestyle.”
Additional information on the brands’ upcoming regional activity is expected to be announced in 2024.
About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, which owns a portfolio of more than 50 iconic and world-renowned Lifestyle, Entertainment and Media brands. Headquartered in New York City, with offices around the world, Authentic connects strong brands with best-in-class partners and a global network of operators, distributors and retailers to build long-term value in the marketplace. Its brands generate more than $29 billion in global annual retail sales and have an expansive retail footprint in 150 countries, including 13,100-plus freestanding stores and shop-in-shops and 370,000 points of sale.
Authentic is committed to transforming brands by delivering powerful storytelling, compelling content, innovative business models and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media. Authentic’s brand portfolio includes Marilyn Monroe®, Elvis Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O’Neal®, David Beckham®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Sports Illustrated®, Reebok®, Brooks Brothers®, Barneys New York®, Judith Leiber®, Ted Baker®, Hunter®, Vince®, Hervé Léger®, Hickey Freeman®, Frye®, Nautica®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Lucky Brand®, Aéropostale®, Forever 21®, Nine West®, Rockport®, Eddie Bauer®, Boardriders®, Quiksilver®, Billabong®, Roxy®, DC Shoes®, RVCA®, Element®, VonZipper®, Honolua®, Spyder®, Volcom®, Shark®, Tretorn®, Prince®, Airwalk®, Izod®, Jones New York®, Van Heusen®, Hart Schaffner Marx®, Arrow® and Thomasville®.
For more information, visit corporate.authentic.com.
Follow Authentic on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.
About Liberated
Liberated Brands is a global leader in the sport, outdoor, and lifestyle apparel industry, boasting a 30-year history of connecting with consumers through a relentless focus on brand cultivation, sports marketing, and immersive storytelling. Their products are sold in more than 100 countries through select department and specialty stores, in over 400 of their company-owned and operated retail stores, and select online stores, including 48 company-owned websites. Their mission is to leverage the company’s deep-rooted expertise in trend forecasting and brand development within the ever-evolving outdoor and lifestyle sectors to attract loyal customers worldwide. Based in Costa Mesa, California, they operate regional headquarters in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia. Their portfolio of brands includes Volcom, Billabong, Quiksilver, Spyder, RVCA, Roxy, Honolua, and Captain Fin.
For more information, please visit www.liberatedbrands.com.