New Hires at Saban
Saban Brands announced the appointment of five new executives across multiple departments. The newly appointed group includes:
• Tori Cook, senior vice-president of global retail business development
• Marcy George, vice-president of global consumer products
• Jennifer Wexler, senior vice-president of marketing
• Stan Wan, creative director of Saban Brands Lifestyle Group
• Scott Rosenbaum, senior vice-president of business and legal affairs
Tori Cook, SVP of global retail business development will focus on relationships and programs with retailers around the world. She will spearhead retail efforts across all product categories for the company’s full slate of entertainment and lifestyle properties. Prior to joining Saban Brands, Cook served as VP, retail business development at Sanrio and also held various retail development and marketing positions at 20th Century Fox, New Line Cinema, and Sears Holdings Corporation.
Marcy George has been named VP of global consumer products. George will develop and execute a unified worldwide licensing strategy across the company’s entertainment brands and will also work closely with Dan Castle to support the lifestyle portfolio. George will lead and oversee the licensing sales, product development, and consumer products creative teams. Before Saban Brands, George founded and was CEO of David & Goliath Licensing and also held positions at MGA Entertainment, Lucky Brand, Dungarees, and Liz Claiborne.
Jennifer Wexler has moved into a full-time role as SVP of marketing at Saban Brands after consulting for Saban Brands Lifestyle Group (SBLG) for the past six months out of the company’s New York office. Wexler will oversee the global marketing strategies and brand campaigns for the company’s full portfolio of entertainment and lifestyle brands. Her past experience includes tenures at Iconix Brand Group, Haute Hippie, and Wexler Consulting Group. She has also lent her marketing expertise to brands such as American Express, Hewlett Packard, and Libertine.
Stan Wan, creative director of SBLG, has been brought on to manage the company’s lifestyle business on all aspects of the brands’ visual communication. Wan initially served as a consultant for SBLG out of the company’s Sydney, Australia office and has since been brought on board full-time. Wan will develop and implement the strategies, design, and creative elements for all brands within SBLG’s portfolio. Wan’s past experience includes the position of director and co-owner at North Hill, where he worked on international brands Modern Amusement, Saturday’s Surf, and Top Shop, among others.
Scott Rosenbaum has been appointed to the role of SVP of business and legal affairs for Saban Brands. In this role, Rosenbaum is responsible for all of Saban Brands’ legal affairs, including the management and oversight of the company’s legal department across all areas, including entertainment and media, marketing, acquisitions, licensing and merchandising, and intellectual property. Rosenbaum joins Saban Brands with more than 15 years of experience with Mattel.
Changes to TRU Board
Toys “R” Us announced last week that Adam Waglay resigned as a member of the board of directors of Toys “R” Us, Inc. The resignation of Waglay did not involve any disagreement with the company. Also last week, the board appointed Paul Raether to the board, effective immediately. Raether is a member and an executive of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., L.P. (KKR) and has served in various positions and played a significant role in numerous portfolio companies since he joined KKR in 1980. Raether has served on the board of directors of WMI Holdings Corp. since May 2015.
Gardner Joins Vandor
Vandor, LLC hired Dhyani Gardner as vice-president of marketing and product development. Gardner has more than 20 years of experience spanning all areas of marketing, product management, and product development, primarily at FranklinCovey and FC Organizational Products.
Gardner is responsible for strategic planning to expand Vandor’s line. She will also drive the company’s marketing plans and oversee implementation of all marketing functions.