Brodsky Joins Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications announced that Leigh Anne Brodsky has joined the company as executive vice-president, Discovery Global Enterprises. Brodsky will oversee consumer products, location-based entertainment, and program sales worldwide. She will report to Paul Guyardo, chief commercial officer.
Brodsky joins Discovery from Peanuts Worldwide and Iconix Entertainment where she served as managing director. Prior to Peanuts Worldwide and Iconix Entertainment, she served as president of Nickelodeon Consumer Products overseeing parent company Viacom’s global licensing and merchandising business. Brodsky has also held senior executive positions at Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video (Saturday Night Live) and Scripps Howard.
Genius Brands Promotes Newman
Genius Brands International, Inc., announced the promotion of Stone Newman from president of global consumer products to president of global consumer products and marketing. Since joining GBI in 2014, Newman has been responsible for overseeing the company’s consumer products programs worldwide. Additionally, Newman has managed licensing programs under GBI’s wholly owned subsidiary, A Squared Entertainment, LLC. Newman will now spearhead traditional and digital marketing efforts for all of the company’s brands.
Newman joined Genius Brands International in 2014 from Art + Science International, a licensing agency he founded. Newman also founded Sababa Toys and previously worked in marketing and licensing at Hasbro.
WBCP Names Koo as CCO
Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) announced that Soo Koo has been named chief creative officer, effective this past Monday, May 16. Koo will report directly to Pam Lifford, president, WBCP. In her new role, Koo will drive the global strategy for all product design and development for WBCP’s portfolio of properties.
Prior to joining WBCP, Koo served as North American vice-president of creative for fashion and home at Disney Consumer Products and Disney Stores. In this position, she spearheaded the creative vision for Disney Consumer Products across apparel, accessories, footwear, beauty, and home. During her tenure, Koo forged successful retail, design, and licensing partnerships with brands such as Forever 21, Vans, Stella McCartney, Sephora, and Marc Jacobs, and was credited for building Disney’s profile within the global fashion space.
With more than 20 years of experience in fashion and creative design, Koo has also worked for BCBG, BeBe, Bianca Nero, and Thomas Wylde.
Promotions at Target
Target Corporation announced the hiring of Mark Tritton as executive vice-president and chief merchandising officer. In this role, Tritton will oversee enterprise buying, product design and development, sourcing, visual merchandising strategy, and merchandising transformation and operations for the retailer. Target also announced that Jason Goldberger will assume the newly created role of chief digital officer and president of Target.com. Both Tritton and Goldberger will report to Target’s chairman and CEO, Brian Cornell, as members of the retailer’s leadership team, effective June 5.
Tritton joins Target from Nordstrom, where he was executive vice-president and president of Nordstrom Product Group.
Goldberger joined Target in 2013. He was named president of Target.com and mobile in 2014. Prior to his role at Target, Goldberger held leadership positions with online retailers, including Gilt Groupe, Hayneedle.com, and Amazon.
Bailey Hired as Consultant to Neat-Oh!
Neat-Oh! has hired child development professional Jean Bailey as a consultant on its Magnutto Activity Sets. The line, which debuted at Toy Fair, uses magnetic facial expressions of people, dinosaurs, and pets to help children express and understand different human emotions. The company is now working with Bailey to develop curricula for parents, teachers, and therapists utilizing Magnutto Activities.
Bailey is a former director of National Lekotek Center. It is a nonprofit organization that provides an array of services to improve the lives of children of all abilities through the utilization of toys and play.