Authentic Inks Deals to Bring Action and Outdoor Brands to New Regions

Authentic Brands Group on Wednesday announced deals to bring its action and outdoor sports brands to new regions across the globe.

Via an expanded partnership with Liberated Brands, the licensee will oversee retail, e-commerce and marketing operations for the Boardriders brands, including Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Element, Von Zipper, Honolua and more across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Indonesia. Authentic also announced a partnership with BRJ Group to operate the Boardriders business in Japan and Taiwan.

“We are thrilled to announce our expanded partnership with Authentic,” said Todd Hymel, Liberated founder and CEO. “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.”

In September, Authentic closed what was said to be a $1.25 billion deal to buy Boardriders, the action sports company that owned Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Element, VonZipper, Honolua and Boardriders. That same month, Authentic announced a deal to make Liberated its retail and e-commerce operator for Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, Honolua and Boardriders in the US and Canada. Liberated also became Authentic’s license partner and wholesale distributor for Billabong, RVCA and Honolua in the U.S. and Canada across several categories. Liberated is also the core licensee and operating partner for the Authentic-owned Volcom and Spyder brands.

Global and APAC president of the former Boardriders company Greg Healy will oversee brand growth across these new regions in his new role as Liberated’s president of APAC.

Boardriders Japan and Taiwan management will continue to control BRJ Group, which will be led by Sammy Yoo, a 13-year Boardriders veteran.

“This partnership with BRJ represents a strategic move for Authentic to strengthen our foothold in these important regions,” said David Brooks, EVP, action and outdoor sports, lifestyle, Authentic. “BRJ’s deep understanding of the local Japanese and Taiwanese cultures, coupled with the management team’s proven track record in brand development and distribution for these iconic brands, aligns seamlessly with our expansion strategy.”