Authentic Brands Group Names Matt Maddox CEO as Company Eyes IPO

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5.21.2026

Quick Facts

Matt Maddox, former Wynn Resorts CEO, becomes CEO while Jamie Salter transitions to executive chairman
The $20 billion company plans to go public within 12 months
Authentic’s portfolio spans 50 brands generating $38 billion in annual retail sales worldwide

Authentic Brands Group appointed Matt Maddox as CEO while founder Jamie Salter stepped back to executive chairman, positioning the brand-licensing giant for a public offering within the next year.

Maddox, who spent five years as CEO of Wynn Resorts before joining Authentic as president last year, will handle day-to-day operations. Salter will focus on mergers and acquisitions as the company pursues his goal of reaching $100 billion in value over five years.

“I will continue to do what I’ve always done: being laser-focused on driving strategic, transformational opportunities,” Salter said in a statement. “I’ll remain actively involved, partnering closely with Matt and the entire leadership team.”

The leadership change comes as Authentic prepares to enter public markets after twice filing for IPOs, only to accept higher private equity buyout offers. Salter told CNBC he expects the company to go public “sometime in the next 12 months.”

“There’s no doubt about it that Matt is definitely a great Wall Street CEO,” Salter said. “I think this time, the company has grown so big that I think this time we’ll probably end up going public.”

Maddox brings two decades of public company experience to the role. He guided Wynn Resorts through the fallout from founder Steve Wynn’s resignation amid misconduct allegations in 2018 and navigated the company through the COVID-19 pandemic before stepping down in 2022.

The transition separates operational execution from dealmaking as Authentic continues its acquisition spree. The company completed major deals including Guess in January 2026 for $1.4 billion and Dockers in February.

Authentic’s portfolio includes Reebok, Champion, Sports Illustrated, Brooks Brothers, and celebrity brands like Shaquille O’Neal and David Beckham. The company’s 50 brands reach nearly one billion social media followers across 150 countries.

The brand-licensing model generates revenue through partnerships with more than 2,000 licensing partners. System-wide retail sales could surpass $50 billion by the end of 2026 if pending transactions close, according to company projections.

Salter said the transition is necessary because he needs to spend “100% of my time” focused on the acquisitions that drive Authentic’s growth strategy. The company has implemented “Authentic Intelligence,” a proprietary platform for licensing compliance and deal evaluation.