Richard Dickson Stepping Down from Mattel

Richard Dickson, president and COO of Mattel, is planning to exit his post next month to take on the role of president and CEO at Gap Inc.

Dickson said: “Mattel is a remarkable company that is heading into an exciting new era. I’m immensely proud of the work we did together driving brand purpose, design innovation, cultural relevance and executional excellence. I thank Ynon [Kreiz, chairman and CEO of Mattel], the board, the leadership team and the entire Mattel organization for their partnership and the incredible work we did together. It has been an inspiring journey and a true honor to be part of this amazing community and company.”

Lisa McKnight has been promoted to executive VP and chief brand officer, overseeing all of Mattel’s toy categories and global brands, as well as design and development.

Josh Silverman has been promoted to executive VP and CFO. His role has expanded to include leadership of digital gaming and licensed entertainment, in addition to global consumer products, publishing, promotions and location-based entertainment, as well as franchise management.

Both executives will assume Dickson’s responsibilities and report to Kreiz.

The company has also promoted Chris Down to executive VP and chief design officer, reporting to McKnight.

Kreiz said: “On behalf of our board and everyone at Mattel, I thank Richard for his tremendous contributions. Among his many achievements, Richard has led the growth of some of the world’s most iconic and purpose-driven brands. I am personally grateful for the friendship, the partnership and for his work in developing and growing the best brand and franchise team in the business today. We wish Richard great success in his new role.”

Kreiz continued: “Our strong and talented leadership team and the entire brand management organization are in an excellent position to continue to execute our strategy to grow our IP-driven toy business and expand our entertainment offering. Following the incredibly successful Barbie movie release, we look forward to further capitalizing on the many exciting opportunities to capture the full value of our iconic brands outside the toy aisle.”