Saban Acquires Piping Hot

Saban Brands Lifestyle Group has added Australian surf brand Piping Hot to its portfolio. The transaction, for an undisclosed amount, represents its second acquisition in three months. And while Piping Hot is the second acquisition this year that’s also based in Australia — the first was the skate- and surf-inspired brand Mambo in January — the two deals also have helped solidify the new creative hub for SBLG that will be located in Australia. The corporate headquarters of the lifestyle group remain based in New York. Daniel Castle, managing director of strategic business development at Saban Brands, said, “The creative hub for all of the brands under Saban’s Lifestyle Group’s umbrella will be in Sydney and Melbourne. That team will work with the U.S.-based team. So far we’ve added 25 percent more staff to both our Australia operations and the company is putting more marketing dollars there, investing in the business.” Castle said the acquisition of a second Australian brand was a coincidence, driven by the interests of himself and that of Elie Dekel, president of Saban Brands, who also heads up Saban Brands Entertainment Group, which is based in Los Angeles. “We’re not targeting Australian brands, but we just happen to find two

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