Authentic Brands Group has appointed Lark-Marie Antón as its new chief communications officer, strengthening its leadership team as the company continues to expand its global brand portfolio and entertainment business. In her new role, Antón will oversee global communications and corporate brand strategy, helping increase the company’s visibility and the cultural influence of its brands.
Antón will report to Matt Maddox, president and chief executive officer of Authentic, and will join the company’s executive committee. Her responsibilities will include communicating the scale of Authentic’s global platform, highlighting its growing presence in entertainment and shaping the wider corporate narrative around its portfolio.
Maddox said Antón brings extensive experience in building the reputations of prominent companies and individuals, with expertise spanning media and marketing. He added that her leadership and creative approach would support the company as it continues to grow and communicate its broader business vision.
Antón joins Authentic from USA Today Co., formerly known as Gannett, where she served as chief communications and brand officer. She led corporate communications and brand strategy across the media company’s national operations and more than 200 local media properties within the USA Today Network.
One of her major responsibilities in that role was overseeing the company’s rebranding from Gannett to USA Today Co. The work involved managing the corporate identity and communications strategy across a broad media network.
Her previous experience also includes senior communications and marketing positions at Hertz, Verizon, Aura and Loews Hotels. Earlier in her career, she served as deputy press secretary during the Bloomberg administration, adding public-sector communications experience to her corporate background.
Authentic Brands Group manages a portfolio of well-known brands and cultural assets, with a business model that spans brand development, licensing and partnerships. As its portfolio grows, corporate communications will play an important role in explaining the company’s strategy to consumers, business partners and other stakeholders.
Antón described Authentic as a global platform built around iconic brands and cultural assets, highlighting its history of innovation and willingness to evolve. She said she looked forward to working with Maddox, Jamie Salter and the wider leadership team to support the company’s next phase of growth.
Her appointment comes as Authentic continues to develop its entertainment business and strengthen the international reach of its portfolio. The role is expected to improve coordination in how the company communicates its corporate identity and the value of its brands.
The leadership appointment comes amid reports that Authentic is exploring a potential IPO as early as the first half of 2027.
Authentic is reportedly recording organic growth of between 7% and 8%, rising to 24% when acquisitions are included. These figures point to the importance of both its existing operations and portfolio expansion in driving growth.
As Authentic evaluates its next stage, Antón’s experience in corporate reputation, brand strategy and large-scale communications could help shape how the company presents its business and long-term ambitions to the market.
