Leigh Anne Brodsky, president of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, has created two new positions and added new responsibilities for several executives to increase her divisions global presence.
Jim Davey has been named svp, Global Consumer Products Marketing and Planning while Tanya Haider becomes vp, Nickelodeon & Viacom International Consumer Products. The positions were created to bring global planning and execution to key franchises for Nickelodeon and Viacom.
"Jim Davey and Tanya Haider have been instrumental in developing and growing Nickelodeon's domestic licensing and merchandising business into a $4 billion annual retail business and they will be integral in taking our brands to new heights internationally," said Brodsky. "The focus of these two individuals will be to continue the extension of our popular brands to ensure that we are everywhere our audiences are."
Formerly vp Toys and Marketing, Nickelodeon, Consumer Products, Davey assumes global marketing responsibilities for Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products. He will be instrumental in planning for Nickelodeon's portfolio of properties, including SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS and DORA THE EXPLORER, as well as Paramount's Star Trek, Comedy Central's SOUTH PARK, MTV's international licensing and select Spike TV properties.
Davey was director of Global Marketing for Polaroid's youth brands and was responsible for the launch of Polaroid's I-Zone instant camera targeted to tweens and teens. Previously, he moved up through the brand management ranks at LEGO Systems Inc. where he managed a wide range of LEGO product lines.
Tanya Haider formerly vp, Strategy and Business Development, for Nickelodeon Networks, is now charged with growing the Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products businesses and brands internationally and will oversee businesses in Asia, Canada, Europe and Latin America. She will also be responsible for driving the growth of MTV international licensing and developing the Paramount library of properties as well as future Paramount movie licensing internationally.
As part of Nickelodeon's strategy group, Haider worked closely with Nickelodeon Consumer Products and was instrumental in the launch of everGirl, the creation of Nick Records and the renewal of Nick's videogame license with THQ. Prior to Nickelodeon, Haider spent five years as an international management consultant with Corporate Decisions Inc. and Mercer Management Consulting.
Sherice Guillory-Torres, formerly vp, Packaged Goods, Home and Gift, will become vp, Hard Goods for Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products. Harald (Hal) Snik, formerly vp, Apparel, Accessories, Stationery, Activities and Social Expressions, will become vp, Soft Goods.
Guillory-Torres will oversee the sales and marketing of the toy, collectible, packaged goods, stationery and social expression categories. Before her promotion to vp in March 2003, Guillory-Torres spearheaded the re-launch of Nickelodeon's consumer electronics division as director, Media Products, and successfully managed the network's worldwide interactive and home video business to more than $700 million in retail sales in 2002.
Before joining Nickelodeon, Guillory-Torres was a consultant with Deloitte Consulting.
In his new role, Snik will oversee the network's multi-million apparel, home and accessories businesses. A seasoned apparel industry executive, Snik formulated a tiered retail strategy, which was embraced by the licensing industry and was awarded "License of the Year" by two industry groups for apparel management of the Blue's Clues franchise.
Prior to joining Nickelodeon, Snik worked for Kids "R" Us, serving in a variety of clothing and accessory buying positions before being named senior buyer of the company's renowned accessories/sleepwear/basics/novelties division. He formulated and executed an aggressive promotional strategy for basic items, resulting in an increase in market share without an erosion of margin. He started his career with Jordan Marsh (now Macy's) in Boston, where he graduated from the prestigious retail-training program before becoming a buyer in the children's area.
Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products is a part of Nickelodeon Enterprises, the ancillary business unit of Nickelodeon Networks. It is responsible for licensing Nickelodeon brands and characters as well as the properties of Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central, Spike TV and MTV (International), as well as some non-Viacom properties. Nickelodeon Enterprises is active in all ancillary markets, including merchandise licensing, home video, interactive software, electronic media, online, wireless, book and magazine publishing, music, live tour and stage shows, theme parks and themed hotel venues. Nickelodeon Enterprises manages the largest TV-based licensing business in the world with $4 billion in retail sales. Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Paramount Pictures and Spike TV are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
