Who Owns Pornhub

Pornhub is owned by Aylo (formerly MindGeek), which itself is owned by Ethical Capital Partners (ECP), a Canadian private equity firm based in Ottawa, Ontario. ECP acquired MindGeek in March 2023 and subsequently rebranded the company as Aylo in August 2023.

The adult entertainment platform continues to dominate the online pornography market despite facing numerous legal challenges and regulatory scrutiny. In September 2025, Aylo agreed to pay $5 million to the Federal Trade Commission and Utah over allegations related to content moderation failures. The company operates from its headquarters in Montreal while maintaining a corporate structure spanning Luxembourg, Cyprus, and the Netherlands.

Who Owns Pornhub?

Ethical Capital Partners holds complete ownership of Pornhub through its parent company Aylo. The private equity firm was founded in 2022 by a team with backgrounds in law enforcement, regulatory affairs, public engagement, and finance.

Current Pornhub Ownership Structure

ECP purchased MindGeek for an undisclosed sum, taking over from previous owners including Feras Antoon, David Tassillo, and Austrian businessman Bernd Bergmair. The acquisition came at a turbulent time for the company, following executive resignations and increased legal pressure.

Solomon Friedman, a partner at ECP, has become the most public face of the new ownership, frequently engaging with media and policymakers about the company’s compliance practices.

Aylo Corporate Structure

Aylo operates through a network of subsidiaries registered in various jurisdictions including Canada, Luxembourg, Cyprus, the British Virgin Islands, and Curaçao. Similar to how Google maintains subsidiaries across jurisdictions, this structure has drawn scrutiny regarding tax arrangements.

History of Pornhub Co-founders

Pornhub launched in May 2007 as the creation of three Concordia University students in Montreal. Matt Keezer, Ouissam Youssef, and Stephane Manos founded the platform during the early days of video-sharing websites, modeling their approach after YouTube’s video-sharing model.

Original Founders and Early Development

Keezer handled technical development and search engine optimization. Youssef and Manos had previously founded Mansef, a holding company for adult content websites that also created Brazzers as a production studio. Their free upload and viewing model disrupted the existing pay-per-view adult entertainment industry.

Growth and Sale to Manwin

By 2009, Pornhub had grown into a substantial operation with hundreds of employees and millions in revenue. The founders sold their creation to German entrepreneur Fabian Thylmann in March 2010 as part of a broader $140 million acquisition of multiple adult websites. Following the sale, the original founders distanced themselves from the adult entertainment industry and removed their connections to Pornhub from public profiles.

Largest Shareholders of Pornhub

As a privately held company, Pornhub’s parent company Aylo does not disclose detailed shareholder information publicly. However, ECP maintains full control over Aylo and all its subsidiaries.

Previous Shareholders and Ownership Changes

Feras Antoon and David Tassillo purchased the company from Fabian Thylmann in 2013 for approximately 73 million euros. They remained shareholders even after resigning from executive positions in June 2022. Bernd Bergmair reportedly held a controlling stake prior to the ECP acquisition.

Aylo Brand Portfolio Under Current Ownership

The current ownership controls an extensive portfolio of adult entertainment properties. Beyond Pornhub, ECP owns video-sharing platforms including YouPorn, RedTube, and Tube8, plus production studios such as Brazzers, Digital Playground, Reality Kings, Sean Cody, and Men.com. Similar to how Meta owns multiple social media platforms, Aylo dominates adult entertainment through strategic acquisitions.

Who Is on the Board of Directors for Pornhub?

Ethical Capital Partners manages Pornhub’s parent company through a team of partners who bring specialized expertise to overseeing the adult entertainment conglomerate.

Leadership Partners at ECP

Solomon Friedman serves as Partner and Vice President of Compliance. An award-winning trial and appellate lawyer, Friedman acts as the primary spokesperson for the ownership group, engaging with legislators, regulators, and media outlets about compliance efforts.

Sarah Bain holds the position of Partner and Vice President of Public Engagement. With two decades of experience in communications, public affairs, and government relations, Bain manages stakeholder relationships across diverse sectors. Her background includes positions at Hill+Knowlton Strategies.

Law Enforcement and Finance Expertise

Derek Ogden brings law enforcement expertise as a founding partner. A retired Chief Superintendent of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ogden previously served as Director-General of the Organized Crime and Drugs Program. His background informs the company’s approach to content moderation.

Fady Mansour serves as Managing Partner, contributing finance and investment banking expertise with M&A experience exceeding $1 billion in transaction value.

Corporate Governance Structure

Rocco Meliambro serves as Chairman, providing board-level oversight. An experienced public company executive, he has served as CEO, CFO, and Audit Committee Chair for various organizations. Unlike major platforms such as Twitter with its public governance, Pornhub’s board operates privately. The leadership team also consults with an advisory board spanning trust and safety, financial compliance, and academia.