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PepsiCo, Activision, CAA-GBG and More to Speak at NYC Licensing Summit
Actress and entrepreneur Drew Barrymore also joins speaker lineup for the executive-level conference and networking event, taking place March 2-3 at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/-- An additional 11 speakers, including actress and entrepreneur Drew Barrymore, have been confirmed for the upcoming NYC Summit: The Business of Brand Licensing, which will cover topics such as standing out at retail, eSports, location-based entertainment, fashion and celebrity licensing, the entertainment market in China, responding to changes in children's TV and much more.

Drew Barrymore, in addition to winning critical acclaim and the hearts of fans for her work in films such as E.T., The Wedding Singer and Grey Gardens, is also the co-founder of a burgeoning lifestyle portfolio that includes Flower Films, Flower Beauty, Flower Eyewear and Barrymore Wines. She will join Perry Wolfman, partner and CEO of the world's largest licensing agency, CAA-GBG (which represents Barrymore), to share her unique perspective and offer first-hand insights into the world of celebrity licensing.

In addition to Barrymore, the two keynote addresses were also announced for the event: Dave Jones, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Iconix will open the first day of the conference; while Yehuda Shmidman, CEO of Sequential Brands Group will offer the opening keynote on day two.

Other recent additions to the conference lineup include:

  • Jill Tully, vice president of brand licensing at A+E Networks;
  • Mike Sepso, senior vice president at Activision Blizzard Media Networks and founder of Major League Gaming;
  • Peter Yoder, vice president of consumer products for North America at Cartoon Network Enterprises;
  • Dell Furano, founder and CEO of brand management company Epic Rights, which represents KISS, AC/DC and Celine Dion, among others;
  • Giuseppe Faranna, vice president and division manager of licensing at Head Sport, owner of the Head and Penn sports equipment brands;
  • Carlos Saavedra, senior director of culture, marketing and innovation at PepsiCo North America and leader of PepsiCo Creator, who will present alongside Debra Joester, president of the brand's licensing agency, The Joester Loria Group;
  • Jamie Stevens, executive vice president of worldwide consumer products at Sony Pictures Entertainment; and
  • Scott Bannell, former vice president of brand management at Stanley Black & Decker who will present alongside Michael Stone, chairman of the company's licensing agency, Beanstalk

The 2017 NYC Summit will also feature sessions with Eric Beder of Wunderlich Securities who will give the Wall Street angle; Robert D'Loren of Xcel Brands who will discuss how to stay relevant in the world of fashion licensing; Amy Kule of the Macy's Parade who will offer insight into the arena of location-based entertainment alongside A+E Network's Tully and Lisa Silverman Meyers of Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products; and Ken Wyse at PVH Corp., the world's third largest licensor, according to License Global's Top 150 Global Licensors report.

Additional speakers will be announced soon including executives from leading retailers Tesco, Spencer's, among others, who will offer a behind-the-scenes look at what drives their merchandising strategies, and a panel of major sports leagues and player's associations.

This year's NYC Summit will also feature a number of enhanced networking opportunities for attendees, including an app that will allow attendees to make new connections before and during the event. This combined with the high-level speaker roster make the NYC Summit a must-attend event for licensing executives and retailers looking to meet industry insiders and discuss the latest trends and insights that will drive new business opportunities in 2017 and beyond.

The NYC Summit will take place March 2-3, 2017 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City's Times Square. Tickets are now on sale: $995 for LIMA members (contact your LIMA representative for the promo code) and $1095 for all others. Space is limited and last year's event sold out, so interested parties are encouraged to secure tickets early. 

The NYC Summit is developed by License Global magazine (www.licensemag.com), part of UBM's Global Licensing Group, also organizer of Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe, and in partnership with the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA), the industry's leading trade organization. This year's sponsors include Platinum Sponsor Concept One Accessories and Silver Sponsors Uwärē Brands and Octane5, and is also being supported by additional sponsors Boy Scouts of America, FabNY, OpSec and Trevco. Additional sponsorships are available, please contact Nicole Silberstein for details (nicole.silberstein@ubm.com).

For more information about the event and to register, please visit www.licensemag.com/nyc-summit.

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About UBM Americas
UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc, is the largest business-to-business events and trade show organizer in the U.S. Through a range of aligned interactive physical and digital environments, UBM Americas increases business effectiveness for both customers and audiences by cultivating meaningful experiences, knowledge and connections. UBM Americas has offices spanning North and South America, and serves a variety of specialist industries with dedicated events and marketing services covering everything from fashion, tech and life sciences to advanced manufacturing, cruise shipping, specialty chemicals, powersports and automotive, concrete, hospitality, cargo transportation and more. For more information, visit: www.ubmamericas.com

About License Global
License Global magazine, published by UBM, is the leading news source for the brand licensing industry, delivering award-winning editorial content covering trends, analysis and special reports about the global brand licensing and retail marketplace. Through its print edition, website and daily e-newsletter, License Global reaches a total monthly audience of almost 90,000 global executives. The magazine also serves as the official publication for the sector two largest trade events, Licensing Expo in June and Brand Licensing Europe in October and hosts the NYC Brand Licensing Summit every spring in New York City. 

 

SOURCE UBM Americas

For further information: Jannelle Grigsby, jgrigsby@advanstar.com, +1 310 857 9020; Press Materials: licensingexpo.com/licensing-expo/content/virtual-press-office