Steven Ekstract is a leading authority in global brand licensing, consumer products, and retail strategy with over 30 years of experience. As Founder of Global Licensing Advisors and Co-Founder of X Tracks Licensing Summits, he connects the worlds of media, culture, and commerce—helping brands scale from IP to retail.
Former Publisher of License Global and Co-Author of Brand Licensing For Dummies (Wiley, 2025), Ekstract is a trusted voice on how entertainment, creators, and brands become multi-billion-dollar consumer product businesses.
History
In February 1998, Steven Ekstract co founded the World's leading business publication and news source for the $300 billion a year Global Consumer Products Licensing business, License! magazine, In 2008, observing the globalization of the licensing business, Ekstract merged License! magazine and License! Europe to create one global information product for the industry. In 2018, Ekstract took on the Brand Director role for the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets with new Expo launches in China and Japan.
In his role as Group Publisher of License Global, Ekstract was instrumental in the growth of the global licensing industry by creating the leading source of information that assisted the burgeoning licensing business to triple its growth in two decades. Additionally he partnered with and provided business development to the leading Global Consumer Products Licensing Trade Fairs & Conferences including: Licensing Expo; Brand Licensing Expo; Licensing Expo Japan; Licensing Expo China. Founder and Organizer of NYC Summit: The Business of brand Licensing-an annual C-Level Executive Conference for the Global Licensing industry helping to grow the business globally from $100 billion in 1998 to $300 billion in 2020.
Ekstract is consulted regularly by Intellectual Property owners, manufacturers, news media and VC's seeking expert information and analysis on licensing industry. ( See Media section of profile)
With the founding of Global Licensing Advisors, individual companies now benefit from Ekstract's Global licensing expertise and connections.
Specialties: Content driving Commerce, Branding and identity, licensing and retail, Pop Culture and International markets
