eOne Family Hires Head of U.K. Licensing

LONDON: Entertainment One (eOne) has appointed Katie Rollings as the head of U.K. licensing for eOne Family and eOne Licensing, effective tomorrow.

Rollings will work out of London under Andrew Carley, head of global licensing. She will oversee all commercial activities for licensed properties in the U.K., including licensing, brand strategy, retail sales and marketing. She will manage a team of five licensing execs, leading the continued expansion of eOne’s U.K. licensing programs across its portfolio of family, lifestyle and film properties, with a focus on Peppa Pig and PJ Masks.

Rollings will supervise the company’s key partnerships with U.K. licensees and retailers, identify new licensing opportunities and retail channels in addition to developing new brand strategies and retail marketing initiatives. She will collaborate with eOne’s product development, marketing, international licensing, theatrical and home-entertainment divisions.

Previously, Rollings served in brand-management positions at FremantleMedia, where she led the global brand strategy for Kate & Mim-Mim, and at Ludurom, where she managed the U.K. consumer-products program for Chuggington. She has also held senior posts at HIT Entertainment and BBC Worldwide, where she oversaw the launch of Teletubbies in Asia.

Carley commented: “Rollings is a highly respected industry veteran with a strong track record of driving commercial success for some of the U.K.’s biggest preschool brands. Her passion, expertise and creativity will help us to both take Peppa Pig to even greater heights here in the U.K. and oversee the launch and build of the much anticipated PJ Masks U.K. licensing program. We look forward to welcoming her to the team.”