Title: Tariffs, Royalties & Complexity: How to Future-Proof Licensing Deals
Hosted By: License Global
Date/Time: Wed, June 25, 2025 – 11AM EDT
Tariffs, Royalties & Complexity: How to Future-Proof Licensing Deals
As global tariffs rise and regulatory environments shift, brand owners and licensees face new challenges: royalty rates are not only increasing—they’re becoming exponentially more complex, and unpredictable.
In this timely webinar, we’ll explore how leading organizations are rethinking their licensing strategies to navigate tariff impacts, protect margins, and stay contractually compliant.
Our expert speakers – Steven Heller, President and Founder of The Brand Liaison, Gregg Guest, VP of Product Management at FADEL, and Johnny Habib, VP of Product Management, Licensing & Solutions Consulting at FADEL, will unpack practical techniques and demonstrate how technology can take the pain out of implementation.
Join us to learn:
- The compounding impact of tariffs on royalty rates and deal economics
- Emerging industry approaches: temporary rate adjustments, tiered rates by territory, net sales redefinition, and more
- Why precision in royalty reporting and contract amendments is now mission-critical
- How to use AI for predictive modeling and a risk analysis of different royalty scenarios
A live look at how Licensing Management software can help:
- Define country-specific royalty rates with tariff-based conditions
- Configure tiered structures with ease
- Dynamically subtract freight, duties, and tariffs from Gross Sales
- Seamlessly amend contract terms and rates at any point in the deal lifecycle
- Use AI to protect your business from financial impact
Whether you’re a licensor, licensee, legal, or royalty operations professional, this session will give you actionable insights—and show you how to future-proof your licensing business in an era of economic volatility.
Speakers:
Steven Heller, President and Founder, The Brand Liaison
With degrees in both law and accounting, and a 30+ year career in licensing and business development, Steven Heller leads award-winning licensing agency, The Brand Liaison, with over $1 Billion Dollars in branded product sales annually. Throughout his career, Steven has been active in all aspects of the licensing business including working with top fashion brands, celebrities, character entertainment and sports properties, including programs with virtually every major US retailer.
Also known as “The Professor,” Mr. Heller is a renown public speaker and a professor of business and law at both the graduate and undergraduate level. He often lectures on various licensing topics sharing both legal and practical business advise.
Mr. Heller graduated cum laude in the top 1% at Fordham Law School, 1991 and graduated SUNY Albany in 1987, with dual major in Accounting and Business Administration. Mr. Heller is a licensed attorney and member of the New York bar, and currently sits on Global Licensing Group Advisory Board and the Board of Directors of Licensing International.
Gregg Guest, VP of Product Management, Cloud, FADEL
Gregg Guest is an experienced thought leader on the complex topics of media production and content licensing, having previously worked with Marvel Entertainment, one of the leaders in character licensing and merchandising as well as HSI Productions, an award-winning commercial production company. Gregg also brings over twenty years of experience in marketing and technology to the role, including jobs as Communications Manager at renowned media/IP law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, and as Director of Software at Braveline Technology. Gregg received a Fine Arts degree from New York University in Film & Television, and has won numerous awards for film making and screenwriting.
Johnny Habib, VP of Product Management, Licensing & Solutions Consulting, FADEL
As Vice President of Product Management & Solutions Consulting at FADEL, Johnny Abi Habib leads a cross-functional team responsible for driving product strategy, optimizing customer engagement, and delivering business solutions that align with corporate goals. With over 16 years at FADEL, Johnny has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s product landscape, overseeing roadmaps, streamlining sales processes, and ensuring quality and client success. Johnny has extensive experience in enterprise solution design, consulting, and product development.