THE LICENSING INSIDERS

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 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 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 is a global brand builder with an extensive background in consumer products licensing and Brand Partnerships. During her tenure at Disney Consumer Products, she led Disney's first apparel DTR (direct to retail) for Walmart, earning accolades for Outstanding Performance and Retail Partnership with 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. Most Recently at Universal, as General Manager/VP of Consumer Products for North America and Latin America, she expanded Universal's consumer products footprint establishing the first-ever CP operations in Mexico and Brazil, tripled revenue in less than 5 years and delivered double digit growth in North America YOY. 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, leading high performing teams, and pioneering category and product development.

Ann is a results-oriented global senior executive with a demonstrated history of driving revenue growth and operational efficiency across a spectrum of functions, from brand management to supply chain. She excels at architecting impactful strategies, cultivating high-performing teams, and establishing collaborative partnerships within diverse organizational landscapes, including start-ups, family-owned businesses, private equity firms, and public blue-chip corporations.

Notable accomplishments include restructuring Disney/Fox and DreamWorks to achieve a 68% revenue increase with 40% fewer resources. Led Disney NA categories to a 12% YoY sales surge and a market share expansion to 65%. Instrumental in generating over $2B in retail sales through successful global brand development. Transformed Heyman Corp into a $600M market leader while improving margins by 8-10%. Successfully managed multiple M&A transactions, ensuring seamless integration and complete team and customer retention.

Beyond professional achievements, actively contributes as a Board Member for Fit & Fresh, 3MERA,  and supports initiatives through the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Croatian Women’s Alliance, Association of Croatian American Professionals,Marquette Institute for Women’s Leadership Council, and Marquette Media and Communication Alumni.

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 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.

Carol is an innovative and visionary publishing executive with a passion for business strategy and deal-making in media, entertainment, and consumer product sectors. Carol has held senior roles at major publishers and licensors including Disney Publishing, Simon & Schuster, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros./DC Comics, and 20th Century Fox. In her 25+ year career, Carol has worked with esteemed creators including Sandra Boynton, Tony DiTerlizzi, Rick Riordan, and Jessica Nabongo, as well as global franchises including Star Wars, Marvel, National Geographic, and James Cameron’s Avatar. During her tenure at Lucasfilm, Carol increased the publishing business 60% over five years and launched the LEGO Star Wars publishing program. Carol has an extensive global network and a proven career record of producing multi-million-dollar profits through licensing, publishing, and retail sales.