Warner Bros., Disney, Walmart and Cherokee Executives To Kick Off Licensing Expo 2013 with Keynote Panel

NEW YORK, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --The International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) and Advanstar Licensing will bring together four of the foremost experts from across the licensing business for a keynote panel to kick-off Licensing Expo 2013. Brad Globe, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products; Andy Prince, Sr. Category Director, Toys, Walmart; Josh Silverman, EVP, Global Licensing, Disney Consumer Products; and Henry Stupp, Director and CEO, The Cherokee Group; will participate in a wide-ranging discussion, "A Licensing Roadmap: Where Are We Headed, and How Will We Get There?" The session promises to be a thought-provoking look at the state of licensing today and the forces that will impact the industry's future – from the globalization of retailing, communication, brands, and products to the effects of technology on interaction with retailers, brands and content; how the changing media landscape will affect business and more. The panel will open the Expo on Tuesday, June 18, at 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, and is free for all Expo attendees.

The executive keynote panel will be followed at 11:30 a.m. by a keynote presentation, "Brands on the Brink of Global Expansion," headlined by actress, fashion icon and entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow.

"The opening keynote session has consistently been one of the best attended and most informative events at Licensing Expo," said Charles Riotto, President of LIMA, the exclusive show sponsor. "This year's distinguished group of panelists features leading experts and visionaries representing several of the largest and most successful companies in the world. The session presents a unique opportunity for attendees to interact with some of the best and brightest minds in the industry today."

About The Panelists
Brad Globe, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products – One of the entertainment industry's most experienced and well-respected consumer products executives, Globe oversees all WBCP business functions, including domestic and international licensing, worldwide marketing, business and legal affairs, finance and retail business development. Globe joined WBCP in February 2005 as Executive Vice President and General Manager. While at the company, Globe has helmed some of the most influential licensing initiatives in global- themed entertainment, including the one-of-a-kind theme park experience, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort; and the state-of-the-art touring exhibition, Harry Potter: The Exhibition, featuring set pieces and artifacts from the Warner Bros. films based on J.K. Rowling's best-selling book series, among others. Prior to joining WBCP, Globe headed the consumer products business for DreamWorks SKG. Globe joined Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment in 1983, and when Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen formed DreamWorks in 1994, he launched the company's Consumer Products division.

Andy Prince, Walmart, Sr. Category Director, Toys, Walmart – Prince has been connected to retailing and the toy industry for 28 years, the past 17 years with Walmart. His current responsibilities include supervision of the buyers for all boys categories, spring/summer-related categories, and games. Prior to his current position, Prince was the Sr. Buyer for Boys Action Figures and Construction from 2001-2011. In this role, he had close relationships with all of the movie studios, as most of the action figure properties had a Hollywood theatrical tie-in. Previous to joining Walmart, Prince was a buyer at retailers Penn Daniels and Yellow Front Stores, the latter a division of Lucky Food Corporation.

Josh Silverman, Executive Vice President, Global Licensing, Disney Consumer Products – Silverman was named Executive Vice President of Global Licensing, Disney Consumer Products (DCP) in 2011. Under his leadership, DCP leverages The Walt Disney Company's unrivaled content into compelling product experiences that deliver Disney magic to the home. Silverman oversees Disney, Marvel and Lucasfilm franchise planning, category management and development across a broad range of merchandise, including apparel, toys, home décor, food, cosmetics, stationery and electronics. Prior to joining DCP, Silverman was Senior Vice President of Global Strategy and Business Development for Marvel Entertainment, responsible for global strategic and tactical matters across divisions. In his current role, Silverman is driving growth of DCP's licensing business domestically and internationally, and plays a key role in brand management.

Henry Stupp, Chief Executive Officer, The Cherokee Group – Stupp became the Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Cherokee Group in August 2010. Cherokee Inc. is a global marketer and manager of a portfolio of Fashion and Lifestyle brands it owns and represents in multiple consumer product categories and sectors around the world, including Cherokee^®, Carole Little^®, Sideout^®, Liz Lange^® and ale by Alessandra^®. The company's annual global retail sales are approaching $2 billion with license agreements with premier retailers and manufacturers covering more than 40 countries around the world. Prior to joining Cherokee, Stupp was Co-Founder of Montreal-based Novel Teez Designs, later known as NTD Apparel, a leading licensee of entertainment, character, sport and branded apparel, and a supplier to all major North American retailers. After relocating to Southern California, Mr. Stupp served as President of NTD Apparel USA LLC from 2005 to 2010.

In addition to the two keynotes set to launch this year's show, LIMA will once again produce its annual Licensing University™ program. Taking place over a four-day period alongside the Expo, Licensing University™ features a comprehensive slate of 24 events and seminars that will provide participants with actionable, up-to-the-minute information on ways to enhance their bottom line and take their business to the next level.

LIMA's Certificate of Licensing Studies (CLS) program will also begin during Licensing University™. This exclusive year-long educational program is specifically designed to provide a 360-degree view of licensing for those seeking a career in the industry as well as professionals who want to enhance their skills in the ever-changing business.

For more information on Licensing University™ and Licensing Expo, visit www.licensingexpo.com.

About LIMA
Founded in 1985, the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) is the primary trade organization for the worldwide licensing industry. LIMA's mission is to bring together all segments of the industry for the advancement of professionalism in licensing through research, national and international seminars, trade events and publications. With members in 35 countries, offices in New York, London, Munich, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, and representatives in Australia, Iberia, India, Italy, Korea, and Turkey, members enjoy access to a wide variety of activities, resources and benefits. For more information on LIMA sponsored trade shows, educational programming, networking opportunities and more, please visit www.licensing.org. To learn more about LIMANET, the most complete network of Property Information and Licensing Professionals online, please visit www.limanet.com.

LIMA is a proud supporter of the Children's Brain Tumor Foundation. To learn more about how to join LIMA in standing up for the bravest, visit www.licensing.org/about/lima-cares and "like" LIMA Cares on Facebook.

About Licensing Expo
Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com) is the licensing industry's largest annual event. A trade show for leveraging properties and brand equity to develop merchandise, Licensing Expo attracts more than 400 exhibitors representing more than 5,000 brands and properties in entertainment; sports; fashion and apparel; publishing; art and design; automotive; animation/anime; home and housewares; and lifestyle. Exhibitors include Fortune 500 consumer brands, film studios, publishing houses and other creative agencies. Attendees from more than 80 countries represent the world's leading retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents. Licensing Expo is owned and organized by Advanstar Communications, Inc., is sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA), and is affiliated with License! Global magazine and Brand Licensing Europe.

SOURCE Advanstar Communications, Inc.