Industry Moves Shahbaz Khan to depart Clementoni UK
Character Options announces senior promotions
Clementoni UK country manager Shahbaz Khan will be leaving the business at the end of January, after nearly a decade with the company. Shahbaz joined Clementoni in 2013 having previously spent five years at Argos as a toy buyer. In his role as country manager, Shahbaz has overseen the full UK operation and has strongly contributed to establishing Clementoni as a preferred supplier in the UK for infant and pre-school toys, STEM kits and puzzles. In this period, Clementoni has seen double digit growth each year through increased distribution, high quality, innovative products and partnerships with key licensors. Guido Vingiani, general manager of the Clementoni Group, said: “Shahbaz has been a fantastic asset to the Clementoni family. We have experienced continuous growth since he joined – even through the pandemic – and we thank him for the dedication and passion he has always put into the brand and his job. We are certainly sorry to see him go but support his decision and wish him every success in his next venture. The UK market is incredibly important to the Clementoni group, and we are committed to long term success. We have strong plans in place for 2022 and beyond and look forward to welcoming colleagues and customers at London and Nuremberg Toy Fairs.” Shahbaz commented: “I have enjoyed every moment of my time at Clementoni and feel proud at the achievements I have made even through the toughest couple of years. I feel I am leaving the business in a strong position, and long may its success continue. I take with me fond memories of Clementoni and the toy industry as a whole that I will forever cherish, and I look forward to my next challenge.”
Character Options has announced the promotions of Jon Elliott and Mark Hunt to director level in the company. Jon Elliott has been promoted to R&D commercial director. In his new role, Jon will work alongside Al Dewar, creative director and Gary Parker, senior R&D manager, in Character Options’ successful in-house development team. Mark Hunt has also been given promotion to marketing director, and will report to Jerry Healy, group marketing director. Mark’s primary objective will be to focus on the continuing development of Character Options as well as new marketing directives for Proxy, the Nordic based toy company which Character Group acquired a substantial share of in 2018. His remit will cover all product ranges, in order to maintain their successful growth across all marketing platforms. The new promotions were announced by managing director, Joe Kissane, who added: “I hope you will join me in congratulating both Jon and Mark on this well-deserved recognition and wish them every success in their new roles.”
Jon Elliott
Mark Hunt
newsanalysis Skill shortage in the toy industry? Kelly Diver is the managing director of Diver Phillips Associates, a dedicated national recruitment and executive search consultancy, specialising in the toy, baby, homewares and gift industry. Here, she shares her thoughts on the current jobs market and how prospective employers and employees can better their chances of success.
A lack of jobs? No, a lack of job seekers
Don’t be afraid to browse
Last year was a turbulent one to say the least. We said goodbye to retailers like Debenhams in May, only for it to reopen its doors on a smaller scale in December, and faced what seemed to be neverending stock issues due to Brexit, driver shortages and a lack of shipping containers.
Whilst career-fear in these ever-changing times seems rational, now is actually a better time than ever to seek employment. The marketplace has become more candidate-driven: a shortage of competition and an increase in vacancies is creating speedy interview-offer turnarounds and extremely competitive packages. Keep your CV fresh and up to date ready for when that dream role comes around.
How has that affected the jobs market within the toy industry?
How attractive is your workplace?
In short, positively - but the market is not without its challenges. DPA data shows that there were more open career opportunities in 2021 compared to the Covid-free 2019, but whilst that may seem like great news for those looking for employment within the toys and baby industry, the opposite has been true for employers.
Looking for staff can be a time-consuming and an expensive process, and during a candidate shortage it may be worthwhile assessing your workplace against competitors. Many candidates who were once office-based have now adjusted to home working and are unwilling to forfeit this, and with the ever-rising cost of fuel, employees are seeing the benefits of not having to commute. Attractive perks such as gym memberships, bonuses and health insurance can be a key decider in whether a candidate takes up a position.
The UK toy industry is facing a skill shortage, and there are less candidates looking for jobs today than there were in 2018 and 2019. Lockdown uncertainties, furlough worries, Covid fears and the rumours of vaccine passports have all created an unwillingness in staff to seek employment elsewhere. Whilst many export and import professionals have found themselves exposed to redundancy and salary freezes, many other job sectors are growing. Following on from the predictions I shared in Toy World during 2020, eCommerce recruitment has seen the biggest increase. With wholesalers widening their understanding of the importance of an online marketplace, eCommerce professionals are few and far between when it comes to recruiting. Marketing vacancies have seen a large uptick. Where reliance was once on TV advertising during childrens’ prime time viewing, the increasing usage of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram has created new positions for marketing professionals.
DPA’s top tips for job seekers • Keep your CV neat •D on’t be afraid to brag – figures and key achievements are essential when it comes to standing out • Include at least your postcode on your CV •A nswer that phone – three out of five positions are handled by recruitment consultancies, most of which will call for first contact •D on’t be afraid to cash out those favours - speak with ex-colleagues and contacts for a recommendation •R egularly browse the major job boards
Diver Phillips Associates is always looking to speak with candidates and employers and is happy to give advice and support. Contact 0161 543 0888.
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