LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT SERIES: AN INTERVIEW WITH ANNE
April 16, 2026
In our Leadership Spotlight Series, we are highlighting executives across our Company who are driving innovation, transforming business practices, and positively impacting the communities where we live and work.
In this edition, we spotlight Anne Scott, Executive Vice President of Business Development, Sports & Entertainment Licensing Group, based in our New York City office. Read on to discover how Anne’s passion for people and relentless focus on alignment have shaped her into the leader she is today.
Fueled by the Business and the People
Anne has spent her career in a business powered by stories — characters, films, fandoms, and the brands that bring them to life. But when she talks about what keeps her energized after all these years, it’s not just the properties themselves. It’s the people behind the work.
“The constant flow of new content, the way fans connect with characters and their stories, the creative energy that comes from working with studios, it’s what makes this business so exciting,” she says. That enthusiasm is something Anne brings into every conversation with her team, creating an environment where energy and curiosity ripple outward.
Creating Opportunities to Learn
That mindset has shaped how she leads. Rather than keeping decision-making behind closed doors, Anne makes a point of pulling emerging team members into the room, giving them the opportunity to observe, listen, and understand how strategy takes shape.
“Exposure is everything. Sitting at your desk, entering purchase orders all day doesn’t give you what you need. Step away. Sit and listen.”
The approach has helped create a team that feels both empowered and accountable. Her senior leaders know their strategies, their budgets, and the outcomes they’re responsible for. Anne stays closely connected, offering clarity when needed and helping the group spot new opportunities, but she expects the team to run with their ideas.
That balance of structure and entrepreneurial energy has been critical in a business that rarely stands still.
Navigating Industry Disruption
Like many in the industry, Anne and her team have had to navigate significant disruption over the past several years. When COVID reshaped the retail landscape, the division initially found itself in a relatively strong position. Many of their core retail partners, including Walmart, Target, and Costco, remained open. Anne quickly helped frame a clear message to the market: sleepwear was the essential apparel. As consumers looked for comfort and familiarity during uncertain times, the category grew, and the team leaned into the opportunity.
But the momentum didn’t come without challenges. Supply chain disruptions, shifting demand, and order cancellations soon followed, forcing the team to constantly reassess forecasts, stay close to retail partners, and adjust plans in real time. The experience reinforced the importance of staying aligned internally and communicating clearly across teams as conditions evolved.
In 2026, the division developed an initiative called “Ignite the Strategy,” centered on a powerful 2026 summer movie slate featuring franchises like Star Wars, Spider-Man, and Moana, properties expected to drive significant licensing opportunities. Then a wave of tariff uncertainty hit. Communication from licensing and retail partners slowed almost overnight, putting projects and planning on pause.
“For nearly a month, everything paused,” Anne recalls. “It was one of the first times we felt truly knocked off course.”
Rather than waiting for clarity, the team used the moment to regroup. They revisited their strategy, stress-tested their assumptions, and stayed closely connected with partners across the ecosystem. Once conditions stabilized, they moved quickly, reaffirming their original plan while sharpening their focus on a clear new mandate: gain market share.
For Anne, the experience reinforced an important lesson about leadership during uncertainty: stay focused on what you can control, keep teams aligned, and be ready to move when the moment opens up again.
Building Something Bigger Together
One of Anne’s most ambitious projects over the past year has been helping build Centric’s global Messi licensed program, a first-of-its-kind effort that brought together teams from across the company. The initiative unified multiple categories under a single brand story, resulting in a product assortment that spans accessories, sleepwear, and even home. Walking through the Messi showroom today, Anne still finds herself reflecting on what the teams were able to accomplish together.
The experience reinforced what she sees as a real strength for Centric: when teams come together across divisions, the company has the ability to deliver one cohesive story to the market.
A Builder at Heart
And for someone who thrives on building things, that kind of collaboration is energizing.
In fact, Anne jokes that if she hadn’t found her way into fashion, she’d probably be flipping houses. She’s drawn to projects, spotting potential where others may not see it and turning something overlooked into something special.
“Give me a diamond in the rough, and I will transform it.”
It’s a philosophy that applies just as easily to leadership: recognize potential, invest in people, and build something meaningful together.
