THE LICENSING INSIDERS
YOUR FRACTIONAL FAST TRACK TO GROWTH.
THE LICENSING INSIDERS
YOUR FRACTIONAL FAST TRACK TO GROWTH.
OUR APPROACH
Many IP owners leave money on the table because they don't know how to execute a cohesive licensing plan that delivers results. Maybe you're a celebrity or a band with no merchandise program, a surprise hit TV show with no presence at retail, a new IP with no franchise plan to close content deals, or a brand with international appeal but you don't know how to set-up distribution. Whatever size or situation, this is where The Licensing Insiders step-in. We are your partners to growth, a team of brand and consumer products experts who use their industry experience across Entertainment, Gaming, Sports & Collegiate, Fashion & Lifestyle and Corporate brands, to drive growth for IP owners and manufacturers.
We work on a fractional basis. That means we operate as and when we are needed. Because we've delivered for companies of all shapes and sizes, we deploy our expertise immediately to hit the ground running without the need for you to commit to full-time overhead. And because our skill-sets are expansive and complementary across every area of brand licensing, you get exclusive access to a team of vetted expert peers to help solve any problem you have.
We're not career consultants. We're scrappy global operators who have delivered results across every aspect of licensing. From IP development, to all categories of consumer products, location experiences, promotions and digital products, we know the world of licensing inside-out. And we know the pitfalls too. We bring our broad range of skills, relationships & expertise to accelerate your growth by working smarter, not harder. Whatever your business and resource levels, from start-up to blue chip, we have an expert who can deliver for you.
OUR EXPERT CAPABILITIES
BUILT IT. RUN IT. DONE IT.
BUILT IT. RUN IT. DONE IT.
BUILT IT. RUN IT. DONE IT.
We've delivered billions of dollars of growth for some of the biggest brands in the world, from powerhouses like Disney, Universal, Dreamworks, Lucas Film, and Marvel, to household names like Hasbro, Adidas, P&G and Levis. In addition, we've worked with global retailers as diverse as Walmart, Target, H&M, Best Buy & Amazon. We know how to translate big brand playbooks to operations of all sizes.
FORWARD LOOKING.
BUILT IT. RUN IT. DONE IT.
BUILT IT. RUN IT. DONE IT.
We are a team of industry pioneers. From creating Franchise Management, to building direct-to-consumer and direct-to-retail business models, to executing high-impact brand collaborations and all forms of digital activation, we've added significant enterprise value. Whether you're a small brand looking to take your first steps into licensing or a major IP owner, we can help.
WE'RE VETTED.
BUILT IT. RUN IT. DONE IT.
WE'RE VETTED.
As Insiders, we're not ex-corporate types, we're scrappy operators who adhere to a common set of service principles:
Ability to listen & quickly assess.
Working with humility & respect.
Collaboration at all levels.
Having no political agendas.
Ability to open any door.
Operating with limited resources.
Getting to the truth of the business.
Working like a full-time member of the team.
THE INSIDERS
Simon Waters. Partner.
Simon Waters. Partner.
Simon Waters. Partner.
Simon has built, led & operated some of the largest entertainment & lifestyle brands in the world, like Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, My Little Pony & Transformers. A senior divisional leader who began his career in the music business in the UK before relocating to the US, Simon works in the heart of the entertainment industry. He has worked with boards, investors, private equity firms and multiple management teams. He was most recently responsible for leading Hasbro Consumer Products from No.12 global licensor to No.5, doubling revenue and tripling operating profit, while opening 23 offices around the world. As an expert storyteller who has presented to stadium sized audiences, a developer of brands, original IP and founder of a tech start-up, Simon loves to apply his global expertise & creativity to helping operations of all sizes and scale deliver the brand growth & resonance they deserve.
Marc Low. Partner.
Simon Waters. Partner.
Simon Waters. Partner.
Marc is a strategic business leader with extensive experience scaling businesses internationally. His passion is building lifestyle brands, with a deep understanding for how product, branding, marketing, retail and digital need to work in unison to deliver powerful and authentic consumer propositions. Marc drove the sales, marketing, merchandising, retail, and creative functions for brands including Nike, Disney & Universal, launching major initiatives including Nike’s foray into soccer, and pioneered the DTR business model while at Disney. Most recently, he created the growth blueprint Universal’s Consumer Products internationally, opening 12 direct offices across EMEA, Asia & Latin America, expanding the international share of global revenue from 20% to 65% in just 4 years. Marc is creatively and commercially-minded and loves a good challenge.
Eva Steortz. Partner.
Simon Waters. Partner.
Maria Ancieta. Partner.
Eva started her career in research and still grounds her work in insights to inform unique brand positioning, strategy and activation ideation. She spent 20 years at the Walt Disney Company including VP roles leading teams and running retail marketing. Her favorite role was leading franchise development for the world’s largest entertainment brands including CARS which exceeded expectations at $4 Billion in retail sales at its height and remains on toy shelves today. As a brand strategy consultant, Eva has continued to work with entertainment studios, toy companies as well as video game and publishing companies. Also a published author and an Executive Coach, Eva is a positive, inspiring champion of bold moves. She loves big ideas and making them happen.
Maria Ancieta. Partner.
Ann Buckingham. Partner.
Maria Ancieta. Partner.
Maria is a multilingual, multicultural executive and brand builder with an extensive background in cross-border and cross-cultural team leadership. Maria began her career as a Buyer for the first ever private label for Baby Superstores, Inc (Babies R US), where she learned the importance of building a trusted brand with expectant moms and gained operational experience at a 'category killer retailer.' During her tenure at Disney Consumer Products, she led Disney's first apparel DTR for Walmart, earning accolades for Outstanding Performance and Retail Partnership and 40% Growth YOY. She later won the Best Retail Partnership award for Babies R US and played a key role in the Disney Baby Launch, driving category and product innovation in the infant segment. At Universal, as General Manager of Consumer Products for the Latin American region, she expanded Universal's consumer products business by establishing the first-ever CP operations in Mexico and Brazil, and tripled revenue in less than 5 years. She led global taskforces to launch the first Universal brand in the baby space, 'Welcome to the Universe Baby,' and executed the ET anniversary on a global scale. Her expertise lies in building trusted brands, generating revenue, and pioneering category and product development.
Ann Buckingham. Partner.
Ann Buckingham. Partner.
Ann Buckingham. Partner.
Ann is a seasoned global leader with deep licensing and brand building expertise. Her experience spans corporations and start-ups such as Disney, DreamWorks, 20th Century Fox, Heyman Corporation, and CreateMe Technologies. At Heyman, she transformed the business from a distributor into a robust $600 million apparel manufacturing brand, securing a #2 market share in North America. During her tenure with Disney, Ann drove Disney's entry into the Fashion, Home and Seasonal categories, accelerating market share from 35% to 65%. At DreamWorks, she led double digit growth by building strategic partnerships with major retail accounts like Target, Ikea, Wal-Mart, and Inditex, leading the Trolls merchandise licensing program to $1 billion in global retail sales. Ann is also a global sourcing expert, driving 8-10% margin gains for her clients through more efficient sourcing strategies. At CreateMe, Ann generated $15 million in revenue through strategic acquisitions while executing a sustainable apparel manufacturing strategy. Ann is a passionate leader, holding multiple advisory roles and is deeply involved in her local community.
Vince Brick. Partner.
Ann Buckingham. Partner.
Ann Buckingham. Partner.
Vince is a senior Retail Sales & Marketing expert with experience leading and collaborating with some of the worlds most influential retailers across all channels of distribution. He has led the development, sell-in and sell-thru of major entertainment and brand programs at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Target, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Walgreens and beyond. A scrappy entrepreneur working in the corporate world, Vince takes products from the factory floor, to the retail floor, navigating and streamlining development, production, supply chain, fulfillment, placement and marketing, so clients make the impact at retail that they deserve. Vince also comes with senior Walmart expertise. Being based in Bentonville, Arkansas, his proximity adds immediate client value with his proven track record record of getting products in front of key decision makers across the entire store footprint. As an example, he recently expanded Walmart distribution for a client’s business by 3X, with new listings, department placement and promotions.
Darren Phillipson. Partner.
Darren Phillipson. Partner.
Darren Phillipson. Partner.
Darren is a seasoned toy industry executive, having worked in the field of Consumer Products, Licensing and Entertainment for over 25 years. He has held leadership positions at several of the world’s top toy and licensing companies including Lucasfilm Licensing, Disney Consumer Products, Dreamworks SKG and Mattel. Darren has a Passion for Play and is the recipient of over 100 awards from renowned toy industry organizations including 20 TOTY-nominated toys with 3 category winners. In 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022, Darren was a Mojo Nation 100 Finalist – representing the 100 most influential figures working in toy and game design today. He is an Executive Producer on four children’s preschool shows and is the Co-Creator of a series currently in development with Netflix. Darren is also a part-time Professor at the world-renowned Otis School of Art and Design in LA where he teaches on the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Toy Design.