DIC Entertainment has created a global brand management division to consolidate key areas, including television, home entertainment and consumer products. The new group will manage each brand as a whole business and will be led by Nancy Fowler, the company’s head of global sales.
The division will play a key role in managing the Strawberry Shortcake, McDonald’s and Classic Trolls brands and upcoming launches of new licensing and merchandising programs for Horseland, Cake, Mommy & Me and Madeline.
“Our goal in creating the global brand management division and three regional teams was to become closer to our business locally and regionally in all areas of our business,” Fowler said in a statement. “DIC has become a very strategic brand management company and as a result of this organization, we believe we’re better able to focus our expertise on a broader basis in all areas of our business globally.”
DIC has named a number of executives to lead its brand management team. The appointments went into effect last month. They include:
- Leila Pirnia has been appointed as vice president of brand management. She oversees global brand managers and guides the strategic direction across all business platforms, including television, home entertainment, consumer products and new media. Previously, she worked as DIC’s vice president of strategic planning and business development.
- Geri Robert has been named director of brand management. She will work as brand manager for Horseland, Madeline, Dinosaurs, Mommy & Me and Cake properties. She previously worked at Nestlé in the strategic marketing initiatives and special projects group.
- Shawn Brower has been named director of brand management and will handle the Strawberry Shortcake and McDonald’s brands. He handles product management for companies including Funrise Toy Corp., MGA Entertainment and Applesauce, Inc.
In addition, DIC’s international sales executives will manage the television, home entertainment/new media and consumer products platforms and report to Fowler. Leslie Nelson was named senior vice president and managing director of the Europe, Middle East and Africa division and oversees the company’s consumer products business there, as well as television and home entertainment sales.
DIC has also named Ryan Gagerman as vice president and regional manager of Asia Pacific to handle its television, home entertainment and consumer products businesses throughout China, Japan and India. He previously worked as vice president of international consumer products and managed worldwide publishing agents and licensees and international licensing programs for Strawberry Shortcake and Trollz.
Dan Waite was named vice president and regional manager of Latin America, where he manages DIC’s television, home entertainment and consumer products business across Latin America and Spanish Language television in the U.S.
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