NEW YORK — Licensing International today announced that seven executives, Jed Ferdinand, Partner and Chair of the Intellectual Property Group at Meister Seelig & Schuster; Sarah Jackson, Global Director of License & Partnerships at Primark; Ross Misher, Founder and CEO at Brand Central; Suzy Lee Raia, EVP of Global Consumer Products at BBC Studios; Jess Richardson, SVP of Global Licensing & New Business Development at Just Play; Laurie Smith, EVP of Licensing at The Brand Liaison; and Rebecca Tatlock-Marijan, General Manager, Vice President of Global Licensing & Merchandising at PepsiCo, Inc., were elected by the Licensing International membership to serve three-year terms on its Board of Directors, effective July 1, 2026.

Milin Shah, Chief Revenue Officer & General Counsel at Isaac Morris and CultureFly, will serve as chairperson and Carolyn D’Angelo, Senior Managing Director, Brand Operations at Gordon Brothers, will serve as vice chairperson.

“Licensing International’s Board of Directors plays an essential role in guiding our organization and ensuring we continue to meet the evolving needs of the global brand licensing community,” said Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. “We are fortunate to welcome this year’s new board members, whose expertise and diverse perspectives across key sectors of the industry will help strengthen our work and advance the business of licensing worldwide. We are also deeply grateful to our outgoing board members Paul Cannon, Pamela Deese, Raj Malik, and George Wade, for their service, thoughtful guidance, and lasting contributions to Licensing International and the broader industry.”

Licensing International would like to give special thanks to outgoing chairperson Veronica Hart, Chief Growth Officer at RWS Global, for her dedication to the global brand licensing industry and for her continued support of the association’s mission.

Meet the new board members:

Jed Ferdinand – Partner and Chair of the Intellectual Property Group at Meister Seelig & Schuster

Jed Ferdinand is Partner and Chair of the Intellectual Property Group at Meister Seelig & Schuster, based in New York. A leading authority in IP commercialization and protection across fashion, consumer products, and technology, Ferdinand focuses his practice on IP asset sales and financing, licensing, valuation, and entrepreneurship. He is also a consultant, expert witness, author of leading IP journals and books, and an Adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School. Before joining Meister Seelig in 2024, Ferdinand was Senior Managing Partner and founder of Ferdinand IP Law Group, with offices in New York, California, and Connecticut. He previously worked at Chadbourne & Parke, Brobeck Phleger & Harrison, Graham & James and Grimes & Battersby, LLP. Ferdinand has negotiated hundreds of IP licenses, joint ventures, and asset purchases, and has worked on major product branding programs that have generated billions of dollars in retail sales worldwide.

Sarah Jackson – Global Director of License & Partnerships at Primark

Sarah Jackson is a Global Director in the fashion and consumer products industry, with more than 20 years of experience delivering sustained commercial growth across international markets. At Primark, Jackson leads the global Licensing & Partnerships function, shaping the strategic direction of one of the industry’s most dynamic and high-growth licensing businesses. She has been instrumental in scaling the function into a globally recognized operation, driving category expansion across fashion, home, lifestyle, and experiential retail while consistently delivering strong commercial performance. Jackson has built an extensive network across the global licensing ecosystem, working with leading entertainment, sport, and media brands including Disney, Netflix, Universal, NBA, and NFL. She operates at a senior leadership level within a complex international retail environment across 19 markets. Beyond her core role, Jackson is an active contributor to the wider licensing industry and was recognized as a License Global Influential in 2024.

Ross Misher – Founder and CEO at Brand Central

Ross Misher is a pioneering brand licensing executive and the founder and CEO of Brand Central, a leading global brand consultancy celebrating its 25th anniversary. Under Misher’s leadership, Brand Central has executed more than 1,000 licensing partnerships and generated billions in retail sales. Recognized as a top 10 consumer products agency, the firm is especially strong in the food and beverage sector, representing iconic brands including Mars Wrigley, Kraft Heinz, and the J.M. Smucker Co, just to name a few. Misher began his career at the William Morris Agency before serving as Licensing Director at Marvel Comics, where he managed 30% of domestic licensing revenue. He later joined The Walt Disney Company, overseeing product, marketing, and retail programs across U.S. toy and sporting goods totaling $160 million in annual royalties. Over the past 30 years, Misher has mentored more than 200 licensing professionals and previously served on Licensing International’s West Coast board.

Suzy Lee Raia – EVP of Global Consumer Products at BBC Studios

Suzy Lee Raia was appointed Executive Vice President, Global Consumer Products at BBC Studios in September 2025, overseeing the company’s global consumer products business across brand partnerships, retail development, and product innovation. Her portfolio spans natural history, drama, science fiction and award-winning animation, most notably the global phenomenon Bluey. During her tenure at BBC Studios, Raia has played a pivotal role in Bluey’s worldwide success, helping expand the brand across more than 450 global licenses. The brand has earned major industry honors, including the 2026 and 2024 Licensing International Excellence Awards for Best Animated Brand, consecutive 2025 and 2026 Toy of the Year Awards for License of the Year, and the 2024 TAGIE Award for Most Innovative License with Moose Toys. Prior to BBC Studios, Raia spent nearly two decades at Nickelodeon, where she built iconic franchises and led standout collaborations across apparel, accessories, partnerships, and consumer products.

Jess Richardson – SVP at Just Play

Jess Richardson has built a 20-year career in licensing at the intersection of global entertainment and consumer products. With experience spanning licensors, licensing agencies, and licensees, he brings a 360-degree perspective to building licensing programs and expanding retail presence for major global brands. As Senior Vice President of Global Licensing & New Business Development at Just Play, a top 10 toy manufacturer specializing in licensed toys and collectibles, Richardson leads strategic partnerships with major entertainment studios including Disney, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. and Hasbro. Prior to joining Just Play, he held leadership roles at Hasbro, where he served as Vice President of Business Development for Toy & Game Licensing and Head of Retail Development for North America. He also served as Head of Global Licensing at Netflix, helping translate digital-first IPs into physical retail experiences. Richardson began his career at The Joester Loria Group and 4Kids Entertainment and serves on multiple advisory boards.

Laurie Smith – EVP of Licensing at The Brand Liaison

Laurie Smith is a global licensing strategist and revenue driver with deep expertise across brand building, negotiation, retail strategy, and long-term licensing program development. With a perspective that spans licensee, licensor, and retailer viewpoints, Smith specializes in building brand equity, identifying new consumer touchpoints, and driving significant revenue growth. Her track record includes repositioning and growing Playboy consumer products to $1 billion globally, securing the largest multimillion-dollar licensing deal in Playboy history, negotiating the first national multi-category third-party retailer program for Overtime and transforming the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop program from a single logo into a library of more than 100 assets. Throughout her career, Smith has completed deals and built relationships with Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Warner Bros., Paramount, Pokémon, Naruto, Sanrio, Peanuts, Playboy, and major sports leagues including MLB, MLS, NBA, NHL, and NCAA, as well as major retailers including Fanatics, Target, Walmart, and Hot Topic.

Rebecca Tatlock-Marijan – General Manager, Vice President of Global Licensing & Merchandising at PepsiCo, Inc.

Rebecca Tatlock-Marijan joined PepsiCo as General Manager, Vice President of Global Licensing & Merchandising in October 2025. In this role, she is responsible for shaping and accelerating PepsiCo’s global licensing strategy, unlocking new revenue streams, and building culturally relevant brand extensions across multiple consumer touchpoints. Tatlock-Marijan brings more than 15 years of international leadership experience across consumer products, licensing, and strategic partnerships. Prior to PepsiCo, she held senior leadership roles at Paramount Global, The Walt Disney Company, and IMG Licensing. Most recently, she served as Global Consumer Products Client Lead at IMG Licensing, where she led licensing strategies for brands including Epic Games, Rovio Entertainment, and The Tetris Company. She has helped launch retail and digital experiences, including Nickelodeon retail stores, and has forged partnerships with global companies including Apple, Mattel, Netflix, and Roblox. Tatlock-Marijan began her career as a retail buyer in the UK and is based in New York.