CEO Jason Rabin acquires majority stake in Centric Brands with investor group

US lifestyle brand portfolio Centric Brands has finalised the sale of the business to its chief executive officer, Jason Rabin, alongside an incoming investor group. Rabin assumes a majority stake in the company, with current management remaining in place to direct long-term operational strategy.

The investor consortium comprises US investment firms Axar Capital Management, M-Cor Capital, LLC, MSP Sports Capital and Jarrod Kahn, group president of Centric Brands. Each partner contributes targeted market expertise to support expansion across active categories.

The transaction marks a transition toward accelerating product diversification and bolstering global infrastructure. The existing executive team retains leadership under Rabin.

Expansion across global operations and infrastructure

Building on recent commercial performance, Centric Brands plans further category extensions alongside targeted operational spending. The business has committed over 25 million dollars to its global sourcing operations to reinforce supply chain efficiency.

Capital deployment also covers logistics facilities, with the firm investing in distribution hubs encompassing 2.7 million square feet in California and New Jersey. The enterprise is deploying Centric IQ, its proprietary artificial intelligence platform, across its international workforce.

“I'm excited to work with a new investor group to lead the company into its next phase,” said Rabin. “We'll continue expanding our brand portfolio, deepening our global operational capabilities, and delivering for our retail and licensing partners.”

Three-platform architecture supports brand growth

Kahn expressed optimism regarding the collective enterprise, noting alignment with long-term strategic targets. The company intends to maintain operational scale through a tripartite commercial model.

The structure incorporates Centric Powered, an end-to-end management framework addressing design, production, distribution and brand protection; Centric Ventures, a founder partnership vehicle supplying financial and back-end resources; and Centric Collective, an investment arm acquiring intellectual property assets.

US private equity firm MSP Sports Capital underscored the commercial viability of the existing structure. “Jason and the Centric team have built a platform with the scale, strategy, and operating discipline to keep growing across brands, categories, and markets,” said Jeff Moorad, chief executive officer of MSP Sports Capital.

International footprint and advisory roles

Centric Brands maintains a global workforce exceeding 2,600 employees across 26 corporate locations in North America, Europe and Asia. The Asian network incorporates 18 regional hubs across eight countries, building on previous footprint expansion throughout Europe.

The brand portfolio features more than 100 owned and licensed properties, including Calvin Klein, Coach, Dockers, Faherty, Favorite Daughter, Gap, Joe's Jeans, Michael Kors, Off-White, Quiksilver, Tommy Hilfiger, UGG and Under Armour, alongside entertainment franchises such as Disney, Marvel, Paramount and Universal.

Marc Schneider, outgoing chairperson of the board of Centric Brands, commended the management team for collaborative engagement across retail networks, licensors and suppliers during his five-year tenure.