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DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Consumer Products President Diane Nelson is taking a leave of absence in the beginning of April and will be returning at an indefinite point in the future. As Nelson takes some time to recharge after 22 years at the company, the DC executive management team—Dan Didio (Co-Publisher), Jim Lee (Co-Publisher), Geoff Johns (President & CCO), and Amit Desai (EVP Business & Marketing Strategy)—will report to Thomas Gewecke, Warner Bros. Entertainment Chief Digital Officer & EVP Strategy/Business Development. Warner Bros. Consumer Products’ Pam Lifford will report to Warner Bros. Entertainment CEO Kevin Tsujihara directly.
Turner Asia Pacific appoints Vikram Sharma VP Cartoon Network Enterprises to head its regional licensing and merchandising division. Sharma will drive sales across the APAC region for its branded toys, apparel, home entertainment, publishing, and lifestyle products as well as live events and themed entertainment. In addition to Cartoon Network properties, Sharma also oversees the management of Tuzki (Turner represents Warner Bros. Consumer Products in South Asia). EMEA President Giorgio Stock, who also spearheads Cartoon Network Enterprises for Turner internationally, will work closely with the Asia Pacific team going forward.
Fullscreen names Mary Murcko SVP Partnerships & Revenue.
Ricardo Yoselevitz joins Feld Entertainment as VP Global Partnerships.
Comic publishing executive Sven Larsen is returning to Marvel Entertainment as Director Licensed Publishing.
Sam Schutz joins LBYR as Publishing Director Brand, Licensed, & Tie-in Publishing. Schulz was formerly the Associate Publisher Licensing at Scholastic.
Jakks Pacific appoints Brent Novak as its new EVP & CFO, where he will oversee all financial aspects of the company and report directly to Chairman & CEO Stephen Berman.
Endemol Shine Group restructures its brand licensing division. Owain Walbyoff will add the group’s licensing division to his remit in a new broader role as MD Gaming, Licensing & Merchandising. He takes over from Frances Adams, who joins Endemol Shine’s creative networks division as Group Director Brand Strategy. Jane Smith is promoted to Director Brand Licensing & Strategy. The broader group brand licensing team has also been restructured under clearer category divisions to further grow expertise within each area and drive the commercial performances of its brands.
Global Head of ReedPOP, Lance Fensterman, is promoted to President of the division.
Hasbro promotes Foye Pascoe to President European Sales & Marketing. She replaces Mark Hoijtink, who has left after 11 years in order to pursue new opportunities.
As Basic Fun! takes over day-to-day management of recent acquisition Geoworld, Founder & President Stefano Piccini retains an active role in assisting the transition and growing the new parentco’s STEM business.
Penguin Random House names Madeline McIntosh to the newly created position CEO of PRH U.S. and promotes Allison Dobson to President of Penguin Publishing Group, succeeding McIntosh in that role.
Christopher Mooney joins Welspun in the newly created position of CMO & Chief Merchandising Officer for the U.S.
French silver specialist Christofle appoints luxury expert Nathalie Remy as its new CEO, succeeding Olivier Fremont. Nicholas Krafft remains in charge of the U.S. division.
Ian Topping is set to leave HMV later this year after five years at the helm; he will be replaced by retail director Neil Taylor during a 6-month transition period. The retailer also appointed Patrizia Leighton as Marketing Director and Rudy Osorio as Commercial Director.
Tim Rothwell joins the ConversionPoint Technologies advisory board.
The Slovenian-based legacy supplier of handcrafted skis, Elan Skis, forms Elan Sports USA, an independent subsidiary of Elan d.o.o., under the leadership of Gary Fleming as President.