People News - all the movers and shakers

Gibsons

team grows

Neil Hartley

Demi Newman

Jazmin Gray

Rachel Riddell

Games and puzzles company Gibsons has recruited five new staff.

Neil Hartley, Demi Newman, Jazmin Gray and Rachel Riddell have joined the team in the new roles of assistant accountant, customer service administrator, people & culture manager and sales supervisor.

Meanwhile, as Adam Melville and Mark Bollen leave the company after many years of service, David Eastoe joins as head of finance.

Gibsons managing director Kate Gibson said: “So much has changed over the past 12 months and they join us at an exciting time in our history. With a partial return to the office and the benefits this brings, it feels great to be able to grow our dedicated team and to give opportunities to people, especially in the current climate.”

Basic Fun!

promotes Tim Ives

Tim Ives has been promoted from head of sales to general manager for the UK and ROI of Basic Fun!

He joined K’NEX UK in 2013 to head up the sales division and following the acquisition of K’NEX by Basic Fun! in 2018, he continued to focus on his role as head of sales.

During his eight-year tenure at the company, Tim has played a key role in developing brands including K’NEX, Tonka, Care Bears, Cutetitos, Lite-Brite and Fisher-Price Classics.

In his new post he will take on wider responsibility for the business, while remaining as the key business contact for his accounts, supported by general sales manager Lynne Swatton-Reed and head of marketing Holly Lackey.

Eve joins

Thames & Kosmos

Thames & Kosmos has recruited Eve Eaton as its newest sales administrator. Eve joined the company in October 2020 to help out during Q4 and the team was so impressed with her that she was offered a permanent position due to the business expanding, and joined in April.

Asmodee announces pair of promotions

Asmodee UK has promoted Christina Brasier and Barry John to new roles as national accounts controllers, jointly managing its national sales team.

Having held responsibility for partnerships with suppliers and retailers including The Pokémon

Company International, Tesco and John Lewis, the pair will now take on a broader remit to further expand the company’s customer and supplier bases.

“Both Christina and Barry have performed sensationally for many years as key figures in Asmodee’s sustained growth and success in the national market,” said Anil Boodhoo, the company’s national channel director. “I have no doubt that they will both excel in their new positions as they help us to take the next steps in our development.”

Toy stalwart retires after 34 years in the trade

Tomy & Drumond Park Games sales director Dave Howard retired on 30 April following 34 years of service in the toy industry.

Starting his career at Hasbro, Dave spent 12 years there before joining Character Options in 1999. He then moved to Marvin’s Magic for four years, prior to joining Drumond Park as sales director. In total, Dave worked with Drumond Park brands for 17 years, including four years at Vivid, enjoying his final two years at Tomy.

Mary Wood, general manager UK & Ireland of Tomy, said: “Dave is a muchloved character. His strong work ethic has earned him a huge amount of respect from customers, colleagues and competitors.’’

Hello Freddie!

Great Gizmos sales director Sarah Dayus welcomed a baby boy on December 28 - seven and a half weeks early! Freddie was discharged from hospital on 20 January, and has been enjoying settling into life at home. He has already been appointed as chief toy tester for Great Gizmos and is looking forward to all the fun ahead!

MAXimum delight

Our congratulations to Vicki Marler-Hausen and husband Luke on the birth of baby Max. Vicki is of course best known as Vicki Elmer, running her marketing and PR agency of that name. Grandad Keith has already put Max’s name down for a Southampton F.C. season ticket once Covid restrictions are lifted!

Obituary

Terry Stephens

By Malcolm Naish

Terry Stephens was a popular director of C.T.S., Upper Thames Wholesalers and Youngsters, before ending his toy career close to his home in Sutton with Gibsons Games.

He was highly popular with retailers and suppliers alike and was the archetypal charming gentleman. He also had a reputation for being a smart if not natty dresser, whether for business or casual!

His love of Arsenal F.C. was legendary but he was also a huge supporter of non-league football, holding administration positions with the likes of Dulwich Hamlet.

We understand that he passed away at the age of 85. He was a strong family man and our sincere condolences go to Glynn, Terry’s son and his family.

Obituary

Bill Mobbs

By Dave Glicksman

Quite a few readers will have already heard of the sad passing of Bill. After an illness only diagnosed just before Christmas, he slipped away peacefully recently.

Many of us will have spent time with Bill at the various toy fairs and spent time in his company at the golf days. When he retired he had been working with MGA for quite a few years. Always very cheerful, Bill was a keen Spurs fan, but then nobody’s perfect!

Popular with his customers and fellow agents and reps alike, Bill will be sorely missed and we pass on our condolences to his wife Gill from us all. *Dave Glicksman was a friend of Bill dating back to their early days representing Bontempi and Paul Lamond Games.Their patch was London/south east/East Anglia.

Obituary

Peter Woods

By Malcolm Naish

I fi rst met Peter in the mid-sixties when he was the boss of Disney here in the UK, and immediately hit it off with him. Like me, he was a keen Arsenal fan, so once we had discussed their current form we would discuss Disney’s business here in the UK.

He joined Disney in 1953 when his boss was Eddie Davis (another licensing legend) and, following Eddy’s retirement, he took over the running of their UK arm. He continued in the toy trade with stints at Ideal Toys and Western Publishing and latterly Dekker Toys.

He was chairman of the Fence Club in 1980 and is credited with setting up its Teddy Simmons golf day in 1979, which is stronger than ever today. Teddy Simmons was one of the founding members of the Fence Club.

Our condolences to Peter’s wife Barbara and three sons.

Obituary

Barry Walker

By Malcolm Naish

I am very sad to announce the passing of Barry Walker after a nine-year battle with cancer. We were great friends, having fi rst met Barry and Brenda in the seventies when they bought Conways Arts & Crafts in Keighley, Yorkshire.

Barry was a founder member of the White Rose buying group and later was instrumental in helping to forge the various buying groups into the Toymaster we know today. A past chairman of Toymaster, Barry gave many hours of his time in travelling the length and breadth of the UK talking to prospective members and will be remembered by many for his forthright manner and great knowledge of the toy trade. He created the Toymaster golf day that was the ‘must-play’ event in the toy trade golfi ng calendar.

Our condolences to his wife Brenda, daughter Elaine, son Gordon and their four grandchildren.

John Lewis reveals new board member

John Lewis Partnership has announced that Nish Kankiwala will join its board this month Nish Kankiwala will join its board this month as a non-executive director.

Nish brings 40 years of experience in retail Nish brings 40 years of experience in retail and consumer brands such as PepsiCo, Unilever and Burger King. He is currently Unilever and Burger King. He is currently the chief executive of Hovis, a business with more than 130 years of heritage.

Nish started his career at Unilever in a number of commercial and operational roles, before moving to Pepsico where he became president of the soft drinks business in Europe and Africa. He then moved to Burger King International as president.

Nish replaces Laura Wade-Gery who stepped down from the Partnership board when her term ended on 30 April.

Laura Wade-Gery said: “It’s been a privilege to be a part of the Partnership, to experience fi rst hand the power of the unique partnership model and to use my external perspective and business experience to help shape its strategy and development. I am looking forward to staying connected through my family’s regular shopping habits.”

New hires at Wow! Stuff

Wow! Stuff has been recruiting consistently since the pandemic began, according to CEO Richard North (pictured).

The company’s latest recruits since January are design co-ordinator Ross Coffi eld, senior product designer on Tier 1 brands Teddy Edwards, product design engineer Steve Carpenter, product designer on Tier 1 brands Chris Jobson, and Manmit Bansal, who joins the Wow Stuff! internal Amazon team as a sales operation support offi cer for sales of Wow! Stuff’s key licensed brands.