Industry Moves

Peers Hardy expands team with new appointments in national roles

Peers Hardy has expanded its team once more with the appointments of Gemma Price and Chris Singleton into national roles.

Gemma Price has been appointed to key account manager. “I’ve worked in the Toy and Gift industry for the last 10 years as a sales representative, mainly focusing on fashion-based activity books, stationery and beauty products which I have loved,” said Gemma. “I’m very excited to be joining a great team at Peers Hardy as a key account manager, helping to grow some fantastic children’s ranges including Wow Generation, Sweet Dreams, character licensed products and more.”

“I’m really excited to be working with the Peers Hardy Group to expand its presence and offering in the children’s sector,” added Chris Singleton, who has been appointed to national accounts manager. “The products we offer can extend the ages of the customer you are appealing to, thus leading to longer relationships with your customer base. The wide range of products offered by Peers Hardy ensures there is something for every retailer and leads to great growth potential for the business. I’m really looking forward to using over 18 years of experience in the toy industry and learning more about licensed products.”

James Barrett, head of Sales at Peers Hardy, commented: “We threw Gemma and Chris in at the deep end with the Toymaster Show in their first week, but they dealt with it brilliantly. I’m sure they will both add tremendous value to our rapidly growing children’s business by helping to grow our brands in both independent and national retailers. They will also allow us to focus on the expansion of our Disney products into Europe, as well as looking into new product development and licences.”

Gemma and Chris would be happy to hear from any potential or current stockists regarding the Peers Hardy range of children’s products. They can be reached at gprice@peershardy. co.uk and csingleton@peershardy.co.uk respectively.

Ravensburger swells Disney Lorcana UK team

Alex Parker has been appointed as Organised Play co-ordinator for Ravensburger’s Disney Lorcana, while Emma Arthur has been appointed PR manager.

Having been with the company for two years as consumer service advisor, Alex has gained valuable experience working with the brand, dealing directly with the public and developing an innate understanding of how Disney Lorcana resonates with the end user.

The new role will see Alex become responsible for co-ordinating the launch and development of the Disney Lorcana Organised Play Programme across the UK & Ireland. He will also be instrumental in providing support to retailers via dedicated reporting systems and handling day-to-day Organised Play enquiries.

“Since I began working with the company, I have seen Disney Lorcana grow from launch last year to being a global TCG phenomenon that has everyone is eager to play,” commented Alex. “Delivering the Global Organised Play strategy to the UK market is intrinsic to the ongoing success of Disney Lorcana on a local level as we aim to bring the range to a wider audience. Enabling retailers to establish their own Organised Play events locally is key to growing the community of players around the brand, and I am so excited to be able to be part of the Disney Lorcana team, working together to expand its influence at a grass roots level here in the UK.”

Ravensburger UK has also appointed Emma Arthur, previously of Norton PR, as PR manager for Disney Lorcana, ahead of the launch of the hotly anticipated Gateway game this August.

The Toy Association names new president & CEO

Industry veteran Greg Ahearn has taken the helm as the new president & CEO of US industry body, The Toy Association. He will be responsible for leading the next chapter of the Association as it continues to evolve and best serve its close to 900 members, as well as the needs of the entire industry. Greg will have oversight of the key objectives, which include industry trade shows and events, regulatory affairs and representation, toy safety and ethics initiatives, member education, as well as consumer outreach to champion the importance of play. The role also extends to partnership with The Toy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the organisation.

“As a part of the strategic evolution of The Toy Association, our goal is to better serve the wide and changing needs of our industry. I am delighted to announce that Greg Ahearn is joining this passionate team as its president & CEO,” said Sharon Price John, president & CEO of Build-a-Bear Workshop and newly appointed chairperson of The Toy Association Board of Directors. “We believe Greg’s diverse and multi-decade toy background in senior roles across top manufacturers and retailers has built a valuable, trusted and far-reaching network of relationships that will further the association’s objectives, both now and as they continue to evolve.”

This announcement comes at an important time for The Toy Association, with the reestablishment of the flagship industry event, Toy Fair New York, as well as the recent creation of an Association-run Los Angeles market preview, amid industry evolution and convergence in the post-pandemic economic environment.

Greg’s career includes experience in a variety of executive roles in the toy industry, including at Mattel, OddzOn, Hasbro, LeapFrog and Toys R Us. The Association says these experiences make him particularly well suited to understanding and addressing industry challenges, while his exposure to leadership roles outside the toy space help broaden his perspectives to include manufacturing, retail, eCommerce, digital media, branding, marketing and licensing.

Moose Toys enters phase two of strategic growth plan with four senior leadership hires

Moose Toys is on a mission to expand and meet the ever-increasing demand for its toys with the creation of four strategic senior leadership roles. These new positions were created to propel the company forward across several key areas: develop and nurture long term Moose-owned brands like ten-year evergreen Little Live Pets, further expand its booming partnerbrands business, which includes Bluey and Despicable Me 4 amongst others, and continue to build its burgeoning games portfolio.

Joining Moose in its mission and vision are proven industry veterans John Coyne, chief Brand officer, Craig Drobis, global general manager, Licensed and Pre-school, Deirdre Cross, senior vice president of Games and Stephen Davis, Entertainment and Franchise advisor.

“Our evolved structure is now fully in place to unlock the next phase of our strategic plan,” said Ronnie Frankowski, global president, Moose Toys. “These four extraordinarily accomplished thought leaders have joined the Moose team to supercharge our strategy for sustainable, long term transformational growth. This is an incredibly exciting time of change and opportunity for the company. We are more than ready to capitalise on our growing momentum.”

As chief Brand officer, John Coyne is tasked with the development of long-term Moose-owned brands, further expanding its portfolio of top-tier licensed brands and developing entertainment-backed franchises. John has held senior marketing roles at many respected companies in the toy and gaming space, including Mattel, Spin Master, Activision Blizzard and Bandai Namco.

Leading the expansion of the existing Moose partner brand portfolio is Craig Drobis. As global general manager, Craig is tasked with driving best in class execution in product development and consumer marketing, ensuring delivery of Moose WOW innovation and creating incremental category expansion opportunities. Craig ‘s nearly three decades of experience includes significant contributions at Jakks Pacific, Bandai America, Spin Master and Mattel.

Tapped to grow Moose Toys’ rapidly expanding Games division as senior vice president of Games, Deirdre Cross will build and run a Seattle-based studio which will create innovative new games for Moose. She joins Moose from Funko Games where she served as the general manager and head of the brand, is an active board member of Women in Toys and is committed to diversity and inclusion in the industry.

Stephen Davis, who has served on the Moose Board of Advisors, will now focus on his role as an advisor to supersize Moose’s entertainment initiatives. In his advisory capacity, Stephen will manage the Moose entertainment and franchise team, and all current and future content-related initiatives.

John Leisure appoints new head of Sales for UK & Ireland

Andy Kay has been part of the toy industry for 18 years, working for global brand leaders such as Funko, MGA Entertainment and most recently Funrise, where he led the grocery and value channel of the company.

Commenting on his new role, Andy said: “It’s a very exciting time for John, which is a well-known specialist for play balls, with an unparalleled stable of licences. The company also boasts an exceptionally strong outdoor range including licensed bubbles and outdoor products. I am delighted to be joining John at such an exciting time and working with the leadership team in Germany to drive the business into the next phase of growth. I’m very much looking forward to working with the business and licensing partners in the coming months.”

Andrea and Susanne, managing directors for John Leisure, added: “We are pleased to welcome Andy to John. Our company is going from strength to strength, and his experience across the industry and expertise in driving growth across all types of customers will be instrumental in achieving our future long-term growth strategy for the UK and Ireland.”

John Leisure can be contacted on 0161 652 6661.

Rubies welcomes new head of Trade Sales

Rubies has announced the appointment of Luke Short as its new head of Trade Sales.

With a successful background in business development and sales strategies within the competitive Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, Luke comes to Rubies from an impressive career at major brands and competitors. His role will encompass leading the Sales team and liaising closely with other departments to implement Rubies’ trade offering.

Luke’s arrival at Rubies signifies a significant step forward for the company as it looks to expand into new markets and innovate its sales strategies. Having amassed extensive experience and demonstrated a talent for driving business growth, Luke is poised to play a key role in guiding Rubies towards continued success and increased market share.

The company believes that Luke’s passion for pop culture and nostalgia means he has the indepth knowledge and dedication to represent its immense portfolio of brands to customers and dive straight into creating partnerships and building relationships within the industry. The decision to onboard Luke represents Rubies’ commitment to fostering fresh talent and leveraging industry expertise to propel the company’s growth in 2024 and beyond. The Rubies team is looking forward to the positive impact his leadership will bring to the organisation.

Thames and Kosmos UK announces new hire

After having spent 16 years as area sales manager for Galt Toys, Andrew Morris will be well known to many. With his years of expertise, friendly manner and extensive knowledge of the toy trade, Thames and Kosmos UK says he is set to be a valuable asset in the new post of national account manager.

“I am delighted to be a part of the Thames and Kosmos team and have always been an admirer of the range,” said Andrew. “It’s fantastic to see so many wonderful products together under the same brand. The Exit Games range, Spy Labs and Science products are particular favourites of mine, and I feel privileged to be joining such a creative and inspiring company with an amazing team throughout. I look forward to embarking on this new adventure and relish the opportunity to grow this iconic brand throughout the UK.”

Andrew can be contacted on 07301 023 846.