Authentic Appoints EVP to Manage Former Boardriders Brand Portfolio

Authentic (Authentic Brand Group) hired David Brooks as EVP of action and outdoor sports lifestyle. Most recently, Brooks was the global general manager of RVCA and Boardriders Partnerships, where Authentic said he “spearheaded various initiatives to unlock new revenue streams that leveraged the value of the Boardriders’ iconic brand portfolio.”

“With more than 25 years of experience in the action sports industry, David brings a wealth of expertise in go-to-market strategies across all facets of brand development, including operations, product development and sourcing, marketing, sales fulfillment and e-commerce,” Authentic said in an email to SGB Media.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the Authentic team and work alongside its network of best-in-class partners for these iconic brands,” commented Brooks in an email response. “Each brand brings a distinctive blend of style, culture and innovation, and I look forward to stewarding them into the next phase of strong and sustainable growth globally.”

Brooks reports to Jarrod Weber, group president of lifestyle and chief brand officer, Authentic.

Before joining Boardriders, Brooks spent 13 years at sports marketing and talent management firm Wasserman Media Group, where he consulted with brands, properties and athletes on a wide range of licensing extensions, branded and original content projects and business initiatives. He also was the CEO at Hoonigan Industries and a partner and COO at 411 Productions.

Authentic shared that in his new role, Brooks will oversee brand management functions for Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, RVCA, Element, DC Shoes, VonZipper, Spyder, and Volcom and work from Liberated Brands’ headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA. Liberated became the operating entity for the Volcom brand when Authentic acquired it from Kering in 2019. Liberated became the new home of the Spyder brand after its acquisition by Authentic.

Todd Hymel, formerly CEO of Action Sports Brands at Kering, leads Liberated Brands. Authentic has a minority stake in Liberated.

Photos courtesy Authentic