// Ted Baker owner Authentic’s EMEA president reveals the US giant’s acquisition and transformation strategy
// ABG said it elevates new additions by “tapping into each of the brand’s rich histories and timeless appeal”
Ted Baker owner Authentic’s (formerly ABG) president for EMEA & India Henry Stupp has described the US group’s playbook for acquiring new brands.
Speaking at ShopTalk Europe last week, Stupp said: “We transform our brands by delivering powerful storytelling, compelling content, innovative business models and immersive experiences”.
He added that the group’s “proven playbook” connects strong brands with best-in-class operators, manufacturers and wholesalers retailers, giving them the ability to build long-term value in the marketplace.
The business, which has over 40 brands in its portfolio including Juicy Couture and Reebok, recently snapped up the full brand portfolio of Boardriders, including Quiksilver, Billabong and Roxy.
This week, reports emerged that it is also set to acquire footwear retailer Hunter after being named as the brand’s preferred bidder.
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Stupp said: “In terms of our playbook. We acquire famous brands and, in some cases, with non-fully functional operating models that are broken or inefficient.”
He added that ABG transforms these brands “through the authentic platform to create sustainable, recurring growth”.
He continued that the group acquires “high equity universally known brands with these broken business models” and elevates them by “tapping into each of the brand’s rich histories and timeless appeal”.
He stressed that from an operational standpoint, being able to deliver robust assets and rich content storytelling on a global basis “is really what separates us from other people in the industry”.
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