Category Archives: People

Luiz Ferreira appointed as Fanattik Sales Director

Posted on by

Fanattik, the award-winning UK based pop culture gift licensee, has appointed Luiz Ferreira to the position of Sales Director.

Luiz started with Fanattik as a consultant three years ago before moving up to head of sales, and now as Sales Director he will be managing relationships with gift retailers throughout the UK, mainland Europe, MENA and Australasia.

Fanattik is a gift, home décor, barware and collectibles licensee for Hasbro, CBSViacom, Universal Studios, Microsoft, Bethesda, Capcom, Studio MDHR and many more.

A gaming and film fan himself, Luiz brings more twenty years’ experience working with pop culture merchandise to the role.

Anthony Marks, M.D Fanattik, says: “With a number of high-profile licensing agreements which we will be announcing post Las Vegas Licensing Expo, we needed someone on the senior team to help support the national gift retailers Fanattik supplies throughout Europe and beyond. Luiz has a proven track history in doing that.”

For further details on Fanattik, email hello@wearefanattik.com

Jesper Poulsen named general manager of Bravado

Posted on by

Universal Music Group’s (UMG’s) leading merchandise and brand management company, Bravado, announced today that veteran industry executive and Epic Rights co-founder Jesper Poulsen has been named general manager.

Poulsen joins Bravado’s executive management team and will play an integral role in continuing to develop the company’s global merchandise strategy in the everchanging landscape of the music and fashion industries. He will oversee day-to-day operations of both Bravado and Epic Rights. Poulsen is based in Los Angeles and reports to Bravado’s president, Matt Young.

Matt Young says: “As we continue to execute our global brand strategy, aligning the power of Epic Rights more closely with Bravado exponentially enhances the reach, capabilities, and depth of how we service our artists and their fans around the world. Jesper has a wealth of experience and his leadership across the Bravado ecosystem will only supercharge our capabilities.”

Poulsen adds: “I want to thank Richelle Parham and UMG’s leadership team, Matt Young, and, of course, the team at Epic Rights, for this opportunity. Having been mentored by Dell Furano, I’m proud to continue to evolve what we started almost 10 years ago with Kym Furano and Phil Cussen. It’s an honour to work with so many incredible artists and their teams to reach their fans all over the world. It’s an exciting time to be in the artist services business and look forward to what’s ahead.”

Poulsen’s career in artist brand development, consumer products and fan experiences started at Signatures Network, where he supported the company’s growing wholesale business and digital strategy. In 2008, through acquisition, he joined Live Nation Merchandise where he held the position of Brand Manager, helping oversee relationships such as KISS, Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Led Zeppelin, and ZZ Top. In 2014, Poulsen, together with Dell Furano, Kym Furano and Phil Cussen, launched merchandise and branding company, Epic Rights.

Bravado acquired Epic Rights in 2019 with a roster that includes KISS, AC/DC, Def Leppard, David Bowie, John Lennon, Aerosmith, Bob Dylan and the Woodstock Festival among others. Poulsen in his new role will maintain the individual brand identities of both Epic Rights and Bravado, supervising the expert teams of both divisions.

Licensing International and Octane5 name participants in global mentoring programme

Posted on by

The first group of mentors and mentees in the Licensing International Mentoring Program have been paired. Launched by Licensing International and sponsor Octane5 in January, this year-long effort marks the industry’s first ever global mentoring programme and is aimed at bringing the expertise of global licensing veterans to young professionals.

Participants in this year’s programme come from companies spanning multiple categories and territories, including Acamar, Beanstalk Licensing, Bulldog Licensing, Discovery, Holy Joe, Jazwares, NASCAR, Paramount, Penguin Random House, Redbubble, Rocket Licensing and SEGA. The Licensing International Mentoring Program will initially focus on regions including the US, the UK, France, Germany, and Japan.

Mentoring is a powerful personal development and empowerment tool. In addition to allowing mentees to build skills and knowledge while working to attain their career goals, the programme also provides an opportunity for mentors to further enhance their expertise through exposure to fresh perspectives.

In addition to sponsoring the mentoring programme, Octane5 is expanding its partnership with Licensing International to sponsor the Licensing International Young Professionals Network (YPN). YPN is designed to help brand licensing professionals under the age of 35 to expand their skills, network, and horizons with free educational and social events. The 2022 YPN calendar kicked off on March 31 in London, with more events coming soon to New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.

“We are so excited to partner with Octane5 and appreciate their support of both the Mentoring and YPN programmes,” says Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. “Mentoring is a powerful tool that has the potential to transform the licensing industry, and both of these programmes provide opportunities for growth, development, and the building of meaningful connections.”

“Over 20 years ago, my brother Matt and I learned about licensing the way so many others do, by working and depending on industry veterans for advice,” says Mike Dunn, Co-Founder and Co-President of Octane5.  “We love licensing – it’s an energetic, dynamic industry with so many great people who are willing to help the next generation. We are especially proud to play a part in helping others learn and grow.”

Shannon Spisak elevated to VP Marketing and Communications, Dr Seuss Enterprises

Posted on by

Global children’s entertainment company Dr. Seuss Enterprises has announced the promotion of Shannon Spisak to her new role as Vice President of Marketing and Communications.

Spisak, who previously held the role of Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, will spearhead all marketing-related activities for the company. Additionally, Dr. Seuss Enterprises is expanding its management team with the new appointments of Vienna Downes, Jimeka Broussard, and Raquel Ojalvo into positions within retail and licensing, on the heels of an immense year of growth for the company.

Spisak will report directly to the CEO & President of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Susan Brandt, and will be involved as part of the DSE executive management team, helping to move the business forward while continuing to support its strategic vision.

Additionally, Spisak will play a key role in helping to develop the company’s product, marketing, creative, social media and business plans. As an industry veteran, Spisak will continue to help the company evolve and expand the Dr. Seuss brand platform, while developing strategic, 360-degree marketing programmes that create excitement, retail opportunities, and collaboration moments with key partners.

“I am excited and honoured to be elevated to this role at Dr. Seuss Enterprises,” says Spisak. “It’s an incredible time to be at Dr. Seuss Enterprises and with these new responsibilities, I am looking forward to helping our beloved property grow even further.”

Vienna Downes will join the team as the Senior Director of Licensing and Sales, leaning on her extensive experience in orchestrating winning business initiatives and innovative licensing programmes.

Raquel Ojalvo is also joining the team as the Director of Retail Sales. She brings over 10 years of experience in entertainment licensing and sales, focusing on new business development and category management.

Jimeka Broussard has been hired as Licensing Manager, and brings to the team a background in budget, product, and contract management. 

Susan Brandt says: “Shannon has shown an impressive ability to not only manage and lead our team members to success but has also been a force of creativity and innovation. I am also thrilled to welcome Vienna, Jimeka, and Raquel who come from impressive backgrounds and each with the skills to help propel Dr. Seuss Enterprises to even greater heights.” 

 

Paramount Global promotes Pam Kaufman to President, Consumer Products and Experiences

Posted on by

Paramount Global has announced that Pam Kaufman will take on the role of President, Consumer Products and Experiences, effective immediately. In addition to leading the Consumer Products business representing well over $5.5 billion in worldwide retail revenue, Kaufman will now have oversight across the Paramount global portfolio of Live Experiences including Hotels, Resorts, Theme Parks, Tours, and Broadway, as well as VidCon and Gaming.

Pam will continue to report to Brian Robbins, President and CEO, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon and Chief Content Officer, Kids & Family, Paramount+, and Raffaele Annecchino, President and CEO, Paramount International Networks, Studios and Streaming. By placing these consumer experiences within the Paramount global portfolio under Kaufman, the company is continuing to align its leadership with the strategy of further connecting its iconic franchises with fans.

“Pam is a dynamic and authentic leader who deeply understands the consumer,” says Robbins. “Her engaging and strategic approach will create innovative consumer touchpoints offering fans even more access to experiences with our franchises and characters.”

“The Consumer Products business has grown exponentially under Pam’s leadership and we’re thrilled to expand Pam’s global role to encompass more ways our fans can experience our brands and IP,” says Annecchino. “Pam is a visionary who leads with compassion, has boundless energy and is a unifying presence for our business across our global markets.”

Pam will add these new responsibilities to those in her current Consumer Products role, which includes managing worldwide product merchandising and licensing as well as business development, marketing, franchise planning, creative strategy, retail sales and consumer insights.

Additionally, the company announced its launch into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in a collaborative cross-functional effort driven by Consumer Products, to bring some of the biggest Paramount’s franchise and characters to the metaverse.

Pam’s oversight of the consumer products business covers the global Paramount portfolio, including iconic franchises PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants, JoJo Siwa, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Avatar, Star Trek, South Park, Emily in Paris, Yellowstone, The Godfather and Top Gun, among many others.

Paramount Global promotes Pam Kaufman to President, Consumer Products and Experiences

Posted on by

Paramount Global has announced that Pam Kaufman will take on the role of President, Consumer Products and Experiences, effective immediately. In addition to leading the Consumer Products business representing well over $5.5 billion in worldwide retail revenue, Kaufman will now have oversight across the Paramount global portfolio of Live Experiences including Hotels, Resorts, Theme Parks, Tours, and Broadway, as well as VidCon and Gaming.

Pam will continue to report to Brian Robbins, President and CEO, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon and Chief Content Officer, Kids & Family, Paramount+, and Raffaele Annecchino, President and CEO, Paramount International Networks, Studios and Streaming. By placing these consumer experiences within the Paramount global portfolio under Kaufman, the company is continuing to align its leadership with the strategy of further connecting its iconic franchises with fans.

“Pam is a dynamic and authentic leader who deeply understands the consumer,” says Robbins. “Her engaging and strategic approach will create innovative consumer touchpoints offering fans even more access to experiences with our franchises and characters.”

“The Consumer Products business has grown exponentially under Pam’s leadership and we’re thrilled to expand Pam’s global role to encompass more ways our fans can experience our brands and IP,” says Annecchino. “Pam is a visionary who leads with compassion, has boundless energy and is a unifying presence for our business across our global markets.”

Pam will add these new responsibilities to those in her current Consumer Products role, which includes managing worldwide product merchandising and licensing as well as business development, marketing, franchise planning, creative strategy, retail sales and consumer insights.

Additionally, the company announced its launch into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in a collaborative cross-functional effort driven by Consumer Products, to bring some of the biggest Paramount’s franchise and characters to the metaverse.

Pam’s oversight of the consumer products business covers the global Paramount portfolio, including iconic franchises PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants, JoJo Siwa, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Avatar, Star Trek, South Park, Emily in Paris, Yellowstone, The Godfather and Top Gun, among many others.

Moonbug Entertainment names Danny Spronz as Head of Global Loyalty & Promotions and EMEA Retail Development

Posted on by

Moonbug Entertainment has announced the appointment of Danny Spronz as Head of Global Loyalty & Promotions and EMEA Retail Development. In this role Spronz will be responsible for driving the Loyalty & Promotions programmes at Moonbug as well as developing the EMEA retail strategy across Moonbug’s portfolio of properties, including Blippi, CoComelon and Little Baby Bum.

Spronz’s newly created role will include setting the strategy for Moonbug’s loyalty, rewards, QSR (quick service restaurants) and third-party promotional programmes. Within the role Spronz will be building global programmes with key international partners to both expand brand awareness and affinity with the Moonbug target audiences. For the retail element of the role, he will be overseeing all EMEA retail activity. Spronz is based in the UK head offices, working closely with the Moonbug team in the USA.

Prior to Moonbug, Spronz was Managing Director EMEA at PocketWatch, where he was responsible for all business operations, advertising sales, consumer products licensing and content sales across EMEA. Before this, he was Vice President Digital Partnerships & Influencer Marketing EMEA at The Walt Disney Company, where he managed overall talent strategy, partnerships and management for the company’s on-screen and digital influencer talent. Spronz joined Disney from Maker Studios, where he developed the strategic partnerships and network business across EMEA, LATAM and SEA.

Spronz says: “I couldn’t be happier to be joining such a thriving and growing business as Moonbug, which has paved its way in the digital IP space. Our brands are currently experiencing fast-paced growth and I am looking forward to speaking to agencies or companies about how our IP can help generate affinity for their brands and develop customer loyalty.”

“Danny’s appointment reflects our expanding consumer product business at Moonbug,” says Ryan Gorman, Head of Global Retail & Consumer Product Marketing at Moonbug Entertainment. “Danny’s extensive experience combined with our rapid growth provides a perfect time for this new role and the opportunities it will bring for our brands. We’re excited to have Danny on board.”

For more information on Moonbug, visit www.moonbug.com.

The Light Fund Channel relay team face health-check hurdles

Posted on by

As the day on which The Light Fund English Channel Relay fundraiser is due to take place draws closer, there’s still one major hurdle for the two teams: proving to the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation (CS&PF), the governing body for English Channel swimming, that they’re fit and healthy enough to take on a gruelling swim involving prolonged physical exertion and exposure to sea temperatures of 16C or lower – without a wetsuit.

That means an examining doctor must verify that each swimmer’s medical condition, health and fitness is at a level that would permit them to swim the English Channel, and also undertake the training involved.

Exhaustion and lack of energy are obvious threats to a successful Channel crossing if participants aren’t fit enough, but more serious hazards include hypothermia, swimming-induced pulmonary oedema (SIPE), sea sickness and vomiting-induced oesophageal ulceration.

In addition, few NHS doctors are willing to take on these medicals, not least due to a Covid-based backlog, and even if they do agree, there is often a charge of around £150.

On the upside, for some swimmers this has simply meant filling in a form, having a blood pressure check and offering a urine sample. But other participants didn’t have it quite so easy. Even the superfit team captain Stephen Gould has had problems over the years. He says: “Firstly, there’s white coat syndrome – raised blood pressure due to the stress of being in a clinic. Immersion in cold water also raises blood pressure. And doctors are wary of signing-off for a challenge like this due to potential litigation.”

However, none of the team members has had as much to get through as Kevin Langstaff, Senior Account Manager at GB eye Ltd. When he severely damaged his leg in a motorcycle accident nearly a decade ago he was told he may never walk again. Not only is he now walking but he passed his medical and is swimming the Channel in a few months. As he says: “I now have one leg largely made of metal, so my fellow team members are convinced I’m going to sink. Getting on and off the boat at sea could be interesting…”

Tests aside, the squad is still on course to do the big swim – scheduled to start between 30 June and 3 July at around 2am on a day when conditions for the swim are optimal. The money raised and pledged so far has taken the two intrepid teams almost two-thirds of the way to their target of £250,000 – which will be a record for any single Light Fund challenge.

But there’s a lot more money to be raised and only just over three months until the English Channel Relay takes place. And there are still many sponsorship opportunities out there.

You can find out more about corporate sponsorship options here. Individuals are very welcome to donate via the event’s Just Giving page, where you can also follow the teams as they prepare for the big day. There’s also an Instagram feed and a Facebook page containing team photos and updates.

Stephen Gould says: “It’s been a very tough few months for both teams and it’s about to get tougher, but at least we are close to naming two fully fit teams – and they’ll need to be – for possibly the toughest Light Fund Challenge yet. Our thanks to all our sponsors and donors to date – and a reminder that there are still many opportunities to support The Light Fund English Channel Relay fundraiser.”

 

Moonbug appoints Marisela Escobedo as Senior Territory Manager LATAM

Posted on by

Moonbug Entertainment has announced the appointment of Marisela Escobedo as Senior Territory Manager LATAM.

In this newly created role, Escobedo will be managing the licensing business across all Moonbug properties, including Blippi, CoComelon and Little Baby Bum in the Latin American region. Escobedo started her new role on 23 March and is based in Los Angeles.

Prior to working at Moonbug, Escobedo was Senior Manager Consumer Products and Regional FMCG Latin America at NBCUniversal. In her nine years at the company, she helped grow the consumer products group and went from working globally to specialising in territories including Asia Pacific and Latin America.

Escobedo says: “I am beyond excited to continue my career growth with Moonbug Entertainment. I am proud to represent an organisation that values at its core compassion, empathy and resilience. I am looking forward to breaking barriers, innovating and contributing positive changes to the way we work in the licensing industry in Latin America, with a company that is truly changing the game in children’s content and entertainment.”

Adam Steel, Director, Global Agency, Consumer Products at Moonbug Entertainment, adds: “Our business across Latin America continues to grow at a phenomenal rate and we are pleased to add a dedicated Country Manager into the Global Agent Management Team.

“Having worked with Marisela for many years, I immediately knew that she would be a perfect fit to lead our business and I’m delighted to be working with such a talented and experienced professional. Marisela’s experience in the region will help us continue to grow our brands while providing great service for our retailers, licensees and partners.”

Moonbug specialises in creating and acquiring IP and turning it into global entertainment franchises, by rapidly scaling the brand using data to increase and enhance the content, distribute broadly across Moonbug’s vast global distribution network, and creating new avenues for interaction through licensing and merchandising, original productions, and brand partnerships.

For more information on Moonbug, visit www.moonbug.com.

Raphaelle Mathieu promoted to EVP, Cyber Group Studios

Posted on by

Cyber Group Studios has announced that Raphaelle Mathieu, formerly Senior Vice President Sales, Digital and Acquisitions, has been promoted to the newly created position of Executive Vice President.

Already a member of the management board, Mathieu, in her new capacity, will oversee all commercial activities of the company worldwide and work with Chairman and CEO Pierre Sissmann and COO Dominique Bourse on defining the overall strategic areas of growth for Cyber Group Studios, including sales, digital, and licensing. 

“As the company is now developing into an international group comprised of many talented companies and executives worldwide, I am very pleased to have Raphaelle take more responsibilities in coordinating our overall commercial activities and finding synergies worldwide to grow our overall business,” says Pierre Sissmann, Chairman and CEO of Cyber Group Studios.