By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Senior Mattel executive Roz Nowicki is stepping down from her role as Head of Global Consumer Products and Franchise Marketing.
Mattel says Nowicki’s departure was announced internally in April, and Nowicki will remain in the role through the end of June to ensure a smooth transition. A successor will soon be announced by Mattel.
“It has been an honor to lead the Consumer Products and Franchise teams at Mattel,” Nowicki said. “During my time we re-organized, rebuilt, and grew, while successfully launching high-profile programs with Forever 21, Nike, Zara, Rocket Mortgage, Burger King, and many more.”
The move is a surprise for those in the licensing space, as Nowicki joined Mattel quite recently, in November 2020. She was responsible for generating growth for top toy brands like Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Fisher-Price, as well as overseeing regional sales, marketing, creative development, and strategic partnerships.
Nowicki has more than three decades prior experience working with kids’ products and entertainment brands, and is known for her deep experience in the world of brand licensing.
She went to Mattel from her most recent gig at Peanuts Worldwide, where she was responsible for the company’s global business, including licensing, PR, finance, brand development, and operations.
Nowicki was responsible, among other things, for Peanut’s brand collaborations with Vans, Levi’s and Marc Jacobs, and retail programs with H&M, Uniqlo, and Inditex, among others.
Nowicki previously worked as EVP global sales and retail at 20th Century Fox Consumer Products, where she headed the growth of popular brands like Teenage Mutant Turtles and Yu-Gi-Oh, and earlier in her career also worked with Disney, Universal Studios and Guess? Inc.
Nowicki said she is excited to pursue new opportunities, and is proud of Mattel’s CP growth during her tenure with the company. In particular, Nowicki said she is proud of Mattel’s new location-based entertainment initiatives and its direct-to-retail collaborations around the world.
No reason was given for Nowicki’s departure.