Dec 14, 2011
Nickelodeon Restructures Consumer Products Division
Nickelodeon has restructured its consumer products business to closely align with its core business, with global, cross-platform property plans as the driving force behind the new organizational model. The new structure emphasizes toys and apparel, and retail marketing becomes integral to Nickelodeon’s overall marketing organization.
The strategic business operations, headed by Nickelodeon Group COO Sarah Kirshbaum Levy, will oversee the toys, interactive and consumer electronics, and soft goods, headed by Manuel Torres and Hal Snik. The Nickelodeon digital team—led by Steve Youngwood, executive vice president, digital, Nickelodeon Group—will manage Nick’s U.S. publishing and home entertainment businesses, headed by Paula Allen and Sherice Torres.
Retail marketing, which is overseen by Ron Johnson, will now report to Pam Kaufman, chief marketing officer, Nickelodeon Group. Packaged goods will report to advertising sales partnerships, led by Sharon Cohen, senior vice president of integrated marketing and ad sales, Nickelodeon Group. All international consumer products operations will continue to be led by Michael Connolly and report to Pierluigi Gazzolo, COO of Viacom International Media Networks. Manuel Torres and Paula Allen will have a dual report into Connolly for all international aspects of their businesses. Nickelodeon Creative Resources will continue to lead all creative components, managed by Russell Hicks, executive vice president and executive creative director, Nickelodeon Group.
