Industry Moves

Eolo Toys welcomes Julia Cake as new UK Sales agent

Eolo Toys has announced the appointment of Julia Cake as its new Sales agent for the UK market.

Julia brings a wealth of experience in the toy industry, having held positions at Flair GP, Magicbox and Mattel. Now returning to her roots in sales and business development, Julia will represent Eolo and help expand the company’s presence in the UK and Ireland.

“I'm thrilled to be adding Eolo to my growing portfolio in the UK and Ireland and to be a part of its dynamic team," said Julia. "Eolo prides itself on great product innovation, strong licences and passionate people.”

This appointment is part of Eolo’s ongoing commitment to delivering innovative and highquality toys to kids and families across the globe. With Julia’s experience, the company is wellpositioned to build stronger relationships with retailers and distributors in the UK, ensuring continued success in the region.

For any inquiries or to explore opportunities with Eolo in the UK, Julia can be reached at 07391 626 920 or at julia.cake@eolohk.com.

Craft Buddy bolsters marketing division to support continued growth

Craft Buddy has announced the expansion of its marketing team with the appointment of four new hires, including two newly created roles. Leading the team is OraRuth Rother, the newly appointed head of Marketing, alongside the recruitment of a Marketing manager, Customer Service executive and an eCommerce executive.

These strategic appointments come at a time of rapid growth for the business, which has thrived in recent years within the craft and hobby sector. A concerted focus on eCommerce has been a key driver of this growth. The expanded seven-strong marketing team will play a vital role in enhancing brand visibility across all channels supporting the growth of both trade and consumer sales, as well as Craft Buddy's successful licensing business.

OraRuth has more than 20 years’ experience working with global brands and brings a wealth of expertise to Craft Buddy. Her leadership will be pivotal in shaping Craft Buddy’s marketing vision and supporting its ambitious growth plans. Joining OraRuth is new Marketing manager, Cara Shanks, who brings several years of experience from the beauty sector to the role. Social media executive Jemima Cargill, meanwhile, is responsible for creating and implementing digital marketing campaigns.

The two newly created roles will be filled by Sharon Holden and Tracey Anne Walker. Sharon, who has been with Craft Buddy for seven years, joins the Marketing team as Customer Service assistant to provide wider support across the customer service, marketing and product development team. Tracey joins with experience in B2B and B2C creative, graphic design and marketing, and assumes the position of eCommerce executive, reporting to Digital and eCommerce manager, Matthew Jennings.

Epoch expands with new hires and promotion

Epoch Making Toys has welcomed Rainbow Leung to the role of digital executive, KarliAnn Jepps as assistant brand manager, and promoted Ellie Bergin to the position of brand manager for Sylvanian Families.

Ellie joined Epoch in 2022 as junior brand manager, responsible for Aquabeads and Epoch Games. Over the past two years, she has supported various line additions including the Aquabeads Nail Studio and the Jurassic World and Minions Games, which were recently added to the Epoch Games portfolio, as well as the launch of Epoch’s newest arts & crafts brand, Pati-School, this year. With her thorough understanding of the business as well as her firm grasp on (and passion for) Sylvanian Families, Ellie is well-positioned to support the brand as it heads into a significant growth period – its 40th anniversary year –with lots of exciting plans set for 2025.

Appointed to take over Ellie’s former role is Karli-Ann Jepps. Karli-Ann joins Epoch from Jakks Pacific where she has been for the last three years. Most recently, Karli-Ann has been working on the Disguise brand, looking after trade marketing and POS.

The company has also welcomed Rainbow Leung as Digital executive. Rainbow takes the lead on Epoch’s eCommerce business, assisting with the rollout of the new Sylvanian Families TikTok shop this autumn and supporting and developing Epoch’s eCommerce business with other customers.

Managing director Phil Hooper commented: “We are delighted to announce Ellie’s promotion. She has consistently impressed in her two years at Epoch and we are sure she is going to thrive in her new position, supporting the ongoing marketing efforts for Sylvanian Families as we head into what looks set to be a very exciting year for the brand. We are also thrilled to welcome both Karli-Ann and Rainbow to our team. Their support and experience will be invaluable as we continue to look to grow all divisions across the Epoch Making Toys portfolio.”

Rosie Marshall of AIS joins the Toy Retailers Association board

The Toy Retailers Association has announced the appointment of Rosie Marshall to its board.

As an industry toy expert and head of Toys and Children’s Gifts at Associated Independent Stores (AIS), Rosie has been a judge and spokesperson for Dream Toys for several years and is now lending her voice to the overarching work of the industry’s retail association.

Rosie said: “I’m delighted with the appointment to this prestigious organisation as it represents toy retailers nationwide and plays a crucial role in shaping the industry. I will very much be wearing my independent retail hat in my tenure on the board, as it is crucial that I am able to support and champion all independents out there.”

Geoff Sheffield, chairman, Toy Retailers Association, added: “We are delighted to welcome Rosie Marshall from AIS onto the Toy Retailers Association board. We want to represent toy retailers across the country and AIS is an important partnership for us. Having Rosie’s experience and knowledge to guide the work we do, to represent the industry, is invaluable.”

Rosie’s appointment is a great asset to the Toy Retailers Association, as it continues to expand the board to welcome more industry representation and to ensure it is representing the interests of toy retailers across the country.