Industry Moves

Learning Resources bolsters senior management team

Learning Resources has announced the appointment of Sam Hayhurst as its new head of Marketing, a key addition to its senior management team. This latest appointment reinforces the company’s commitment to innovation and continued expansion across the UK, Europe and MENA territories.

Leveraging her distinguished career in brand management and marketing, including her recent role at The Lego Group, Sam brings comprehensive expertise to propel Learning Resources’ brand awareness efforts and enhance customer engagement across key territories.

This appointment is part of a broader expansion of the company’s senior management team, aimed at driving growth and innovation in 2025 and beyond. Sam joins a roster of recent high-profile appointments, including Kimberley Lue as head of Product Development, Gavin Mansour as head of Sales and Amanda Eley as head of Finance.

“We have assembled an incredibly strong team who have vast experience in the toy and education industry, providing us with an excellent platform to continue the rapid growth of our brands in 2025 and beyond,” said Simon Tomlinson, Managing director.

For more information about Learning Resources, please visit: www.LearningResources.co.uk.

Greg Weller joins Generation Media as new head of Gaming Partnerships

Generation Media, already a trusted name in gaming media strategy with a track record of successful campaigns for titles like Tekken 8, Starfield, Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077, is expanding its specialist services with the appointment of Greg Weller as head of Gaming Partnerships.

With over 20 years of experience in gaming and entertainment, Greg has held key roles at Rockstar Games, Bethesda Softworks and Team17, leading go-to-market strategies for some of the most successful franchises in the industry and bringing deep expertise in global marketing strategy, brand development and media execution across AAA and independent titles alike.

Building on Generation Media’s well-established gaming expertise, this new role focuses on expanding the agency’s offering to meet the evolving needs of publishers, particularly in the self-publishing space. While challenges like discoverability and rising user acquisition costs affect all publishers, self-publishing studios often face additional hurdles when it comes to securing the resources, media expertise and specialist support needed to scale their releases effectively. Generation Media’s approach, underpinned by a revenue recoup model, ensures that studios—regardless of size—can access best-in-class media strategy, planning and execution without the traditional financial barriers associated with specialist agency support.

Greg said: “Having worked across AAA blockbusters and innovative indie titles, I’ve seen first-hand how the publishing landscape is shifting. Many self-publishing studios focus their efforts on securing a traditional publishing deal, believing it’s their only route to financial and marketing support. However, this often means overlooking the impact that a well-planned, strategic media investment can have in driving a game’s success. By expanding Generation Media’s offering, we’re providing an alternative pathway—one that gives studios and publishers access to expert media planning and investment strategies without needing a traditional publishing model. I’d love to connect with those looking to explore this further and will be attending numerous industry events this year—so feel free to reach out.”

“Gaming has long been a core focus for Generation Media, and with Greg on board, we’re doubling down on our commitment to delivering bespoke, high-performance media strategies for studios of all sizes,” said Lisa Morgan, Managing director at Generation Media. “This is an exciting step in the continued evolution of our gaming offering.”

To hear more about Generation Media’s latest success stories and how it can support studios, arrange a meeting at 0207 307 7900 or contact@generationmedia.co.uk.

Curious Universe welcomes Claire Hampshire as managing director UK

Curious Universe is pleased to announce the appointment of Claire Hampshire (formerly Claire Grasby) as the new MD for the UK. Claire will report directly to John Styring, CEO, and will oversee the development and execution of the company’s business strategy for the UK as it continues to expand globally.

The creation of this new role will enable Curious Universe’s senior team, led by John, to concentrate on the company's strategic goals in international and US markets, while Claire focuses on driving further growth in the UK.

Claire brings over 12 years of experience in the party and celebrations sector, with a strong commercial background in retail and digital marketing. Prior to joining Curious Universe, Claire was the MD of UK & EU Retail at The Wonder Group, which included PartyDelights.co.uk, the UK’s largest online party retailer. Her leadership at The Wonder Group saw the retail business grow to £100m in just three years, including the successful acquisition of two eCommerce businesses in Germany and Sweden.

“We are delighted to welcome Claire to the team as the new managing director for the UK,” said John. “Her extensive experience and proven success in managing large, multi-faceted businesses will be invaluable as we continue to expand our global footprint.”

“I am excited to join Curious Universe at such a pivotal time,” commented Claire. “I’m looking forward to contributing to the company’s success and further strengthening our presence in the UK to support the next stage of growth.”

“I am excited to join Curious Universe at such a pivotal time,” commented Claire. “I’m looking forward to contributing to the company’s success and further strengthening our presence in the UK to support the next stage of growth.”

For more information, please contact sales@curiousuniverse.co.uk.

BTL Diffusion announces new appointment to support portfolio expansion

BTL Diffusion UK has appointed Alan Houghton as senior National Account manager. This key appointment comes as the company experiences growing demand for its renowned toy and nursery brands, now including Yookidoo, Caboo and Speedy Monkey. BTL Diffusion UK offers an extensive portfolio of brands across a wide range of categories.

Alan brings over 20+ years of extensive experience in sales and management within the toy and nursery industries. Over the past decade, he has played a pivotal role in successfully growing and expanding multiple brands across the UK and Ireland. His expertise in business development and account management, combined with his passion for the industry, makes him a valuable addition to the team.

In his new role, Alan will oversee a selection of existing accounts while focusing on business development and further brand expansion. Known for his ability to build strong customer relationships, Alan’s enthusiasm and industry knowledge will be instrumental in driving continued success for BTL Diffusion UK.

“We are very pleased that Alan has joined the team. Not only does he bring great energy, but his industry knowledge and wealth of experience will be invaluable,” said Graeme Hargreaves, Managing director of BTL Diffusion UK.

Alan added: “I am absolutely delighted to join BTL and work with such incredible brands. I look forward to taking on this fresh challenge, contributing to the team and continuing to build on the success that has already been achieved with this fantastic team.”

Connetix welcomes Ben Lawless-Jennings as head of Marketing

Connetix has announced the appointment of Ben Lawless-Jennings as head of Marketing. The strategic appointment underscores the company’s commitment to brand growth and innovation, solidifying its position as a thought leader in the construction toy space as it continues to drive global market expansion.

Ben brings more than 20 years of marketing experience across renowned brands such as The Walt Disney Company, Nike, Warner Bros. and Optus. More recently, he served as head of Marketing for Lego Certified Stores and National Geographic Wear at Alquemie Group.

Working alongside the leadership, operations and customer service teams, the role will report to CEO and co-founder, Brea Brand. Ben will be responsible for driving the company’s brand development and strategic marketing vision, creating an engaging brand experience for customers and delivering on the Connetix mission to inspire creativity and learning through play.

To find out more about stocking Connetix, visit www.connetixtiles.com or contact wholesale@connetixtiles.com.

Solent Group appoints Mel Beer as new head of Licensing

Solent Group, a leading FMCG innovator in sustainable, better for you products, has appointed Mel Beer as head of Licensing. With over 25 years’ experience in licensing, brand management and retail, most recently at Penguin Ventures, Mel brings a wealth of experience in forging successful partnerships and driving brand growth.

“It is an exciting time for us at Solent as we welcome Mel to our team,” said Tracey Dobkins, CEO of Solent Group. “Her expertise and fresh perspective will be key in expanding our licensing portfolio.

Mel will oversee licensing strategy, partnerships and brand collaborations across Solent’s diverse product categories, including Reusable Bags, Health & Beauty, House & Home and Food & Snacks.

“Solent’s dedication to sustainability and innovation is truly inspiring and I look forward to working with the talented team to build upon this strong foundation,” said Mel. Mel can be contacted directly at mel.beer@ solentgroup.co.uk or 07795 682 316. For more information about Solent Group, please visit www.solentgroup.co.uk

Posh Paws introduces new senior National Accounts manager

Katie Ward brings over 15 years of experience as a senior National Accounts manager, having worked previously for Funko, Jazwares and at Universal Pictures. She brings a wealth of expertise to the role and a passion to continue growing the business through her strong relationships with existing retailers and seeking out new opportunities for their licensed and own-brand plush & gift ranges.

Katie said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Posh Paws at such an exciting time for the business and working with some of the biggest family movie events of the year like How to Train Your Dragon, Jurassic World, Gabby's Dollhouse and of course, Wicked: For Good. The opportunity to continue building the presence of Posh Paws' own brands at retail, like Kawaii Kuties which is on track for significant growth this year, was an opportunity not to be missed and I can't wait to use my vast experience in this industry to help the business capitalise on that.”

It's a blockbuster year for Posh Paws and its licensed plush ranges for the latest new movies. In addition to Posh Paws strong licensed portfolio, its trending own brand collections Kawaii Kuties and Cuddly Capybaras continue to grow in popularity with consumers and are set for strong growth this year.

Lauren Shipman, Brand & Marketing director, said: “We are delighted to welcome Katie to the Posh Paws team, in what is an exciting year and time for the company with so many new releases and significant growth and investment into our own IPs.”

To contact Katie to arrange a meeting or to discuss opportunities for Posh Paws licensed and own-brand plush ranges, she can be contacted on 07467 338 025 or by email at kward@poshpawsinternational.co.uk.