Appointments Industry moves
Lockdowns, supply-chain headaches... It’s been a tricky year for the toy industry, but the right people, in the right roles, can make all the difference. Moose Toys, Disguise and Character Options are just some of the companies who have boosted their core teams in recent months with new hires and internal promotions
Moose Toys Disguise Lianne Barber Belinda Gruebner
The company that “exists to make kids SUPERHAPPY” is celebrating two senior internal promotions, solidifying its top tier leadership team moving into 2022. Industry veteran RONNIE FRANKOWSKI has taken on the newly created role of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and BELINDA GRUEBNER has elevated to the role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Ronnie will take on responsibility for all commercial
strategies and plans globally and will continue working closely with the product development team to deliver the groundbreaking innovation that Moose is known for. “It is wonderful to see Moose continue to evolve, but even
more pleasing to see the growth and career progression of our valued people,” says Paul Solomon, CEO of Moose Toys. “This is a very exciting time for both Moose and Ronnie, and we feel confident having him in this strategically important new role as we continue to build and expand on our future roadmap.”
Belinda Gruebner, who has been at Moose for six years as EVP of Global Marketing, will be responsible for all marketing execution across the business, aligning Moose’s global brand strategies and commercial vision as well as continuing to lead the Moose Happy Kids Foundation. “Belinda’s proven leadership and history of delivering
for the company are perfect attributes for success in her new role as CMO as we continue to evolve and scale our presence around the world,” says Paul. “It is fantastic to see two of our people who stood up and rose to the challenge of ensuring we were successful in a tough market recognised in this way.” Moose Toys continues to expand and now has over 550 staff globally. The business is direct-to-retail in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, France and Germany, and has products distributed to over 100 countries through an expansive global network.
The global costume company, a division of toy and consumer products manufacturer JAKKS Pacific, has announced another key hire for the team in EMEA with LIANNE BARBER joining as Marketing Manager. With over a decade of marketing, brand management and licensing experience at The Entertainer, Lianne
will lead all marketing efforts for Disguise in the EMEA territory. Lianne brings experience in implementing multi-channel
marketing and brand development strategies as well as winning campaign management that drives sales across the board. With the recent announcements of major licence acquisitions and renewals across EMEA and the rapid expansion of the retail footprint across all regions, the need for a global approach to marketing and retail promotions is a key focus for Disguise. Lianne will be a major part of the marketing team developing targeted sales-boosting strategies and campaigns to drive business across Europe. “Lianne Barber will be integral to our success in EMEA,” says Rachel Middleton-Smith, VP of Marketing, Disguise EMEA. “She brings key skills and experience to the table, which will enable us to develop our marketing reach across our region.”
Character Options
The toy firm has announced the promotions of JON ELLIOTT and MARK HUNT. Jon has been promoted to R&D Commercial Director. He will work alongside Al Dewar, Creative Director, and Gary Parker, Senior R&D Manager, in the firm’s successful in- house development team. Mark has been promoted to Marketing Director, reporting to Jerry Healy, Group Marketing Director. Mark’s primary objective will be to focus on the continuing development of Character Options and Proxy new marketing directives on all product ranges to maintain their successful growth across all marketing platforms. The new promotions were announced by Character Options’ Managing Director
Mark Hunt
Joe Kissane, who commented: “I hope that you will join me in congratulating both Jon and Mark for this well-deserved recognition and in wishing them every success in their new roles.”
Jan/Feb 2022 | toy news | 87
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