2020 ushered in a new decade marked by major business mergers, the launch of game-changing streaming platforms and flourishing verticals such as esports that cultivated a host of consumer products opportunities and unprecedented growth for the licensing industry. With the world’s leading licensor, Disney, reporting its consumer products business was up 25 percent in Q4 2019, the role of licensees proved more pivotal than ever. Despite the growth, the immense impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic could affect countless licensees, the pillars of the licensing industry.

“Licensees are the lifeblood of our industry and need our acknowledgment and support,” says Steven Ekstract, brand director, Global Licensing Group, Informa Markets. “Their expertise in design, manufacturing, packaging, marketing, distribution and sales is what drives this almost $300 billion business. In the next months, our licensee community will be heavily impacted by the economic slowdown brought on by COVID-19, and we as an industry need to come together to support our licensee partners. The Global Licensing Group at Informa is here to support you. We understand how critical Licensing Expo is for your business, and we fully commit to making sure that the show does go on.”

To recognize our industry’s invaluable licensees, License Global has expanded its annual Leading Licensees list to 200, spanning an array of categories and welcoming a handful of newcomers to the coveted list.

Read the Full List Now!