• The founder and CEO of Cakewalk Entertainment will serve as master of ceremonies for this year’s event at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas.
• Registration for the 2022 Excellence Awards is now open. 

NEW YORK, NY — Licensing International is thrilled to announce that industry veteran George Leon will host the 2022 Licensing International Excellence Awards. With more than 25 years of experience, he is a beloved and respected expert in the global promotions and franchise development space.

Leon will take center stage, microphone in hand, on May 23 at 5:30pm PST at The LIGHT Vegas Nightclub as the master of ceremonies for this year’s Excellence Awards. He is well-suited for the task, as Leon knows many of the nominees personally and has himself won multiple Licensing International Excellence Awards, including the 2003 Entertainment License of the Year for Spider-Man, the 2005 Overall Best License of the Year for Spider-Man2, the 2005 Best Promotion of the Year, and the 2015 Academic Excellence Award.

Leon founded California-based Cakewalk Entertainment in 2017. He previously spent 16 years making magic at Sony Pictures Entertainment, most recently serving as EVP of Consumer Marketing for global branded entertainment, licensing, and product placement. Leon has also worked with the teams at Saban Entertainment and Camelot Licensing.

“I’m beyond excited to honor this year’s incredible nominees and celebrate the winners as the host of the Licensing International Excellence Awards,” George Leon said. “And after two years of virtual meetings, I can’t wait to get dressed up and gather together with my colleagues across the licensing industry.”

The Licensing International Excellence Awards recognize outstanding achievements and innovation in the licensing industry around the world. This year’s Excellence Awards feature 165 finalists from 20 countries in 25 categories.

Registration for the Excellence Awards ceremony is now open. Licensing Expo will take place from May 24-26 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, and registration for the event is available online.

About Licensing Expo

Launched in 1980, Licensing Expo is the world’s largest and most influential annual tradeshow dedicated to licensing and brand extension. Every year, more than 5,000 brands and 16,000 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors, and licensing agents attend Licensing Expo from more than 70 countries. Licensing Expo is a part of the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, the licensing industry’s leading tradeshow organizer and media partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world by bringing brands and products together. Visit https://www.licensingexpo.com/en/home.html for more information.

About Licensing International

Licensing International is the leading trade organization for the $290+ billion global brand licensing industry. Licensing International’s mission is to foster the growth and expansion of brand licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. Founded in 1985, Licensing International members in over 40 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits, including extensive educational programming and worldwide networking events. Visit www.LicensingInternational.org for more information.

Media Contact
Elizabeth Foster
efoster@licensing.org