Leonard Armato

Leonard Armato is the CEO of S&P, a creative and innovations agency providing end-to-end solutions for brands interested in supercharging their business. In his first charge as CEO, Armato spearheaded the development of the “S&P Guarantee,” a disruptive new approach that overhauls the outdated agency model and ties fees to guaranteed results.

A seasoned entrepreneur and former powerhouse sports agent, Armato is known for changing the rules of business and finding new and innovative ways to create value for clients. As founder and former CEO of Management Plus Enterprises (MPE), Armato became a leader in developing, positioning, and building "high growth" brands converging sports, entertainment, marketing, and technology.

One of the first in the sports industry to skillfully transform celebrity into "brand," Armato mastermind the development and launch of Shaquille O'Neal's brand, transforming the superstar from athlete to “tech influencer” by activating a coalition of powerful marketing partners that supported Shaq’s newly developed brand positioning.

Armato also developed the "Golden Boy" brand for Oscar De La Hoya and created the marketing infrastructure for Gold Boy Promotions, one of the world’s largest boxing promotion companies. He was the founder of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour and established it as the first-ever “lifestyle” sport, as well as created the FIVB World Championships of Beach Volleyball and The World Series of Beach Volleyball.
In 2000, Armato launched Digital Media Campus (DMC), a self-contained ecosystem with all the resources necessary to start and grow a sports and entertainment digital media company. Quincy Jones, Shaq, Pamela Anderson, and other entrepreneurs launched businesses through DMC. Investors in DMC included internet titans such as Larry Ellison, Mark Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, and Ron Conway, among others. In addition, Armato created the NBA Technology Summit with now NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. The Tech Summit continues to be a must-attend event at NBA All Star Weekend.

From 2009 to 2012, Armato served as CMO of Skechers where he oversaw the company's creative agencies and orchestrated two Super Bowl campaigns. He also served as President of Skechers Fitness and was instrumental in launching the company's performance division.
Armato is a graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law where he received the USD Law School “Distinguished Alumni” Award in 2007 and in 2010 gave the USD Law School commencement speech. Armato currently resides with is family in Manhattan Beach, California.