Mattel Inc. has announced a new category-based management structure for its Consumer Products division in the EMEA area.

Mattel Inc. has announced a new management structure following the recent appointment of Jessica Kelly as Senior Director of Consumer Products for EMEA and is designed to deepen category expertise, strengthen collaboration with partners in licensing, retail and commercial, and enable a more comprehensive approach, while helping Mattel and its partners identify and seize new growth opportunities across the region.

Under the new model, Mattel’s Consumer Products sector for the EMEA area will be organised around five key pillars: Softlines, Hardlines, Food, Health & Beauty and Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), PEM and Retail Franchise Activation. The newly appointed managers, who report directly to Jessica Kelly, are:

• André Moreira: new Director of the Softlines division, joined Mattel in 2019 and served as Senior Manager of Consumer Products for the Benelux and Nordic Countries and Head of Softlines for the EMEA, overseeing licensing activities in six markets and the regional Softlines portfolio.
• Natalie Berling-Noé: New Hardlines Leader, with over seven years of experience at Mattel at various stages of her career, brings extensive expertise in brand marketing, commercial and customer marketing, and licensing. He previously held management roles in the toy and entertainment industry.
• Kasia Gruszka-Mierzwa: New Food, Health & Beauty and Quick Service Restaurants Leader, with 20 years of experience at Mattel in local and regional roles, recently led consumer product licensing activities in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.
• Isidora Tassopoulou: new Director of the PEM segment, during her 25 years at Mattel in the Marketing and Consumer Products sectors, she held regional management roles in the Softlines, Hardlines and Food/FMCG sectors, with extensive experience in licensing, market development and strategic partnerships across the EMEA area.
• Caroline Daget: New Retail Franchise Activation Leader, she recently led the licensing industry for Mattel France, after holding senior licensing and partnerships roles at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee and Warner Bros. Discovery.

To further strengthen Mattel’s capabilities and expertise in the Softlines sector, two additional executives have been appointed, reporting directly to André Moreira:

• Mara Verze has been named Direct-to-Retail (DTR) Lead: She joined Mattel in 2024 to lead the UK and Ireland licensed products business and strategic brand partnerships, bringing over 15 years of international experience in multi-channel licensing and fashion retail.
• Eleonora Schiavoni has been named Apparel Lead: With over 25 years of experience in licensing, consumer products, fashion, retail and brand partnerships, he recently led Mattel’s consumer products business in Italy and the Iberian Peninsula.

The new management team in the Consumer Products division will provide licensees, retailers and business partners with more specialised category leadership and a more coherent approach across the EMEA area, fostering closer collaboration and helping to identify and seize new growth opportunities.

Executives will also represent the Consumer Products division in their respective markets, helping to ensure that the business remains closely connected to local consumer dynamics, partner needs and business opportunities.

Jessica Kelly, Senior Director of the Consumer Products Division for the EMEA:

The Consumer Products division plays an important role in bringing Mattel’s brands and franchises into the daily lives of fans through new products and experiences. Combining deeper expertise in the category with a solid understanding of local markets, this new structure and talented group of people will allow us to collaborate more closely with our partners, respond to emerging consumer and cultural opportunities, and create more meaningful ways for fans to engage with the brands they love.