5 minute read
Industry Moves
Ellie Moore to head up Sales at MGA and Zapf
MGA Entertainment and Zapf Creation have announced the appointment of Ellie Moore in the newly created role MGA and Zapf Sales director for the UK and Ireland.
Previously Sales director for Zapf Creation, Ellie joined the company in January 2023. Prior to this, she was head of Sales at MV Sports & Leisure. Having begun her new role as MGA and Zapf Creation Sales director in October, Ellie now oversees the UK and Ireland sales team and is responsible for heading up a range of brands, including L.O.L. Surprise!, Rainbow High, MGA’s Miniverse, Little Tikes, evergreen Zapf brands Baby born and Baby Annabell and the newest addition to the MGA portfolio, Fluffie Stuffiez.
Ellie commented: “Since joining Zapf Creation at the start of the year, I’ve loved bringing my wealth of skills and experience to some of the nation’s favourite brands such as Baby born and Baby Annabell. I am thrilled that my new role now includes some of MGA Entertainment’s incredible brands and look forward to working with the wider MGA team and sales partners as we prepare for a busy Q4 and a very exciting 2024.”
This announcement follows the promotion of Sara Taylor from managing director for UK and Ireland to senior vice president for the UK and FR.IT.ES in July this year. Also in July this year, Michelle Lilley was promoted to vice president of Marketing, EMEA. Commenting on the new roles and promotions, Sara Taylor stated: “These newly created positions herald a new era for MGA Entertainment and Zapf Creation as we bring our different territories closer together and align our work as a truly global company.“
Cloudco Entertainment welcomes new talent to licensing team
The company has announced the arrival of Charlotte Payne, who steps into the role of director of International Licensing, and Noelle Nuñez, who joins as manager of Retail Development.
Armed with over a decade of experience in international licensing, Charlotte honed her skills at Warner Brothers Discovery UK/EMEA. Her mission at Cloudco is to redefine brand strategies and accelerate Cloudco into the global spotlight. Charlotte will be reporting to Robert Prinzo, head of Global Licensing, to bring Cloudco’s portfolio of beloved characters to fans around the world and will be based in the UK.
“I am thrilled to embark on this new adventure with the exceptional team at Cloudco Entertainment,” said Charlotte. “As we dive into this exciting journey together, I am confident that we will not only uphold the legacy of these treasured brands but also explore new horizons, creating memorable experiences for fans worldwide.”
Noelle Nuñez’s most recent role was at Sanrio, where she served as an associate licensing manager. In her new capacity at Cloudco, Noelle will be leading retail for the Speciality retail channel along with new business development and reporting directly to Amy Sullivan, VP of Global Retail Development. Noelle will be based in Cloudco’s Los Angeles office.
Robert Prinzo, head of Global Licensing at Cloudco Entertainment, said: “At Cloudco Entertainment, we’re dedicated to leveraging the global strength of our brands and unlocking new licensing opportunities that will fuel our business’s growth. With Charlotte, Noelle and our exceptional team, we’re ready to embark on this journey and make a positive impact worldwide.”
Zapf Creation appoints Trish Cooper as Sales manager
Trish joins the team with over 25 years’ sales experience across a breadth of industries, including publishing with Penguin Random House, stationery, gifting & homeware with Zak Designs and most recently in the toy industry with MV Sports & Leisure. Trish will report into Ellie Moore, Sales director at Zapf Creation. She will join the sales team for much-loved brands including nurturing doll brands Baby Annabell and Baby born. As part of her role, Trish will be tasked with looking after key business accounts.
Ellie Moore commented: “We are very happy to expand the Zapf Creation sales team through the appointment of Trish Cooper. It’s an exciting time for the brand with the volume of new product development we have seen landing in stores throughout 2023, combined with exciting plans for 2024. Trish will be looking after our key customers, and I look forward to working with her.”
Trish added: “To say I’m ecstatic to be joining the Zapf Creation team is an understatement, and I can’t wait to contribute to the brand’s ongoing success.”
Andrew Fernandes joins Basic Fun! UK
Basic Fun! UK welcomes Andrew Fernandes, who takes up the newly formed role of senior national account manager.
Basic Fun! has seen growth across the UK and US and is now setting its sights on building direct retail relationships across Europe. With 20 years industry experience across classic brands such as Playmobil and Hornby, Andrew will have a core remit to develop those relationships as well as continuing the onward growth of the UK business in his role as senior NAM.
“This senior appointment is just the latest move to bring further definition to the already strong Basic Fun! UK sales team,” commented Tim Ives, UK general manager. “The wealth of experience Andrew brings with him will be instrumental in us achieving our objectives.”
Tim added: “Growing the business in new ways is essential in today’s competitive market and by exploring more avenues through which to bring Basic Fun!’s products to the children of the UK and Europe, we will do just that. Andrew’s new role will perfectly complement our Amazon EU business that launched in October; managed by recently appointed E-commerce manager, Kevin Sharpes, who reports into Lynne Swatton-Reed.”
