Sports, entertainment and experiential veteran joins GDX to accelerate brand partnerships and business growth
San Diego, CA (Dec. 10, 2025) – GDX Studios – an experiential agency where imagination meets innovation, blending real-world emotion and digital intelligence to create unforgettable brand moments that connect, measure and move people – formally announces Rick Shahum as Vice President of Business Development.
Rick Shahum
Since joining GDX Studios in Fall 2025, Shahum has been instrumental in driving business growth, cultivating key partnerships and expanding the company’s reach across entertainment, sports and lifestyle sectors. In this role, he has accelerated growth by identifying new revenue opportunities, strengthening client relationships and positioning GDX as a leader in forward-thinking experiential strategy. He is skilled in managing high-value brand assets and licensed intellectual property, leading high-performance teams and enhancing the company’s immersive Phygital technology.
“Rick brings the kind of pedigree and leadership that immediately elevates an organization,” said Aaron Gaeir, CEO and Founder of GDX Studios. “His background across global experiential and digital strategy aligns perfectly with GDX’s vision as we continue shaping the future of Phygital. Our clients will benefit from a leader who not only understands this space, but actively pushes it forward.”
With more than two decades of experience driving revenue and growth for global sports leagues, entertainment brands and Fortune 100 companies, Shahum has developed and executed high-impact experiential campaigns, brand activations and immersive events. He has held senior leadership roles at Octagon, Troika, TBA Global and GES, building complex programs across live events, sports, music, gaming, merchandising, licensing and integrated brand strategy across major organizations including IBM, the U.S. Census, Nike, the LA Rams, SoFi Stadium, Riot Games, F45 Training and the Super Bowl Experience.
“I joined GDX because the team doesn’t just build the impossible on a large scale, we’re truly an outcome-driven organization,” said Shahum. “We’re very intentional about evaluating how the right technology integrates with the creative process to shape human emotion and ultimately audience behavior. The in-house technology arm of our business bridges the gap between virtual worlds and onsite activations to deliver our partners a wealth of audience data before, during and after any experience.”
For over a decade, GDX Studios has been transforming brand storytelling through immersive, data-driven experiences that unite the physical and digital worlds. Behind every campaign is a team of culture-forward makers who elevate pop-ups, sponsorships and live events into unforgettable experiences that amplify brands and set trends. From award-winning Comic-Con activations and Adult Swim experiences to the first-ever Ryder Cup Fan Experience in Manhattan, GDX delivers bold, dynamic ideas that redefine what’s possible.
For more information on GDX Studios and to catch a glimpse of some of the company’s epic campaigns, please visit gdxstudios.com and follow the company on Instagram or LinkedIn.
GDX Studios is a full-service experiential agency where imagination meets innovation, blending physical experiences with digital intelligence to create immersive brand moments that connect, measure, and move people. For over a decade, GDX has transformed pop-ups, sponsorships, and live events into unforgettable campaigns that amplify brands, generate cultural impact, and set industry trends. The agency’s full suite of services—including market research, data tracking, content capture, consumer touch points, public relations, and social media—is designed to enhance every activation before, during, and after the experience, all delivered by a curated, culture-forward in-house team. For more information, please visit gdxstudios.com.