SMC: Adam Sarhan Interviewed Ben Kohn CEO of Playboy For Timeless Life & Leadership Advice

Ben Kohn, CEO, of Playboy Shares Timeless Life & Leadership
Advice with Adam Sarhan on This Episode of SmartMoneyCircle.com
Show About Ben Kohn: Ben Kohn is responsible for leading PLBY
Group’s global growth strategy and execution. He is focused on
delivering sustainable, long-term growth and value creation for
PLBY Group’s shareholders. Kohn joined Playboy as Chief Executive
Officer in January 2018, after having served as interim CEO of
Playboy from May 2016 to December 2017. Kohn has served on
Playboy’s Board of Directors since March 2011. From 2004 to
December 2018, Kohn served as a Managing Partner at the private
equity firm Rizvi Traverse where he led the successful buyouts of
major media and entertainment companies, including taking Playboy
private in 2011. Prior to his time at Rizvi Traverse, Kohn was a
Vice President at Angelo, Gordon & Co., where he focused on
private equity and special situations. Kohn started his career at
Cowen & Company in the Mergers and Acquisitions group. Mr. Kohn
also serves on the Board of Directors for the performance rights
organization, SESAC. He received his Bachelor of Science in
Management BSM from Tulane University, and his Master of Business
Administration from Columbia University. About PLBY Group. PLBY
Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLBY) is a leading pleasure and leisure
lifestyle company and owner of Playboy, one of the most
recognizable and iconic brands in the world. Over the past few
years, PLBY Group acquired Australian luxury lingerie brand, Honey
Birdette, sexuall wellness chain, Lovers, and online intimates
retailer, Yandy. Playboy ceased publication of the magazine in
March 2020, and the Hefner family is no longer associated with
Playboy in any way. Today’s reimagined Playboy has shifted to focus
on consumer products and digital experiences and events. The
company’s recent changes on the business side have really been
focused on building out that full ecosystem of products and
services, physical and digital, to give consumers a way to access
and truly live a Playboy way of life. More specifically, the
company is focused on two strategies: 1) Meeting robust consumer
demand through the continued expansion of its direct-to-consumer
business by further growing its owned and operated channels,
realizing synergies between its brands and continuing the
optimization of licensing; and 2) Continuing to advance its digital
business through the full build-out of creator-led CENTERFOLD and
its integration with its other platforms. About CENTERFOLD:
Centerfold is Playboy’s new creator-led platform which launched in
beta in late 2021. Centerfold’s potential to drive organic customer
acquisition and serve as a massive top of funnel for Playboy
products and services is more valuable than ever given the recent
disruptive changes to iOS and privacy regulations. Playboy believes
it will allow them to further target the marketing of its consumer
products brands, its future NFT and blockchain initiatives, and its
IRL and virtual events. As Centerfold continues to evolve, the
company plans to integrate it with Playboy.com and drive all
customers to one central location. In addition, Centerfold provides
leverage for any future partnerships Playboy pursues through
licensing, hospitality and other channels because it not only shows
up to the table with an iconic global brand, but it also brings
direct access to an engaged, targeted audience. For creators, there
is immense value in being part of the Playboy ecosystem. Not only
has Playboy envisioned a safe place for freedom of expression,
inclusion and direct connections between fans and creators, it is
also launching new avenues for its creators to generate additional
revenue streams beyond core offerings including digital
subscriptions, unlocks, and live hangouts. As creators, they have
the additional opportunity to become affiliates by promoting
Playboy products. The company already signed 40 of its top creators
as part of a new affi