Mattel Creations Bolsters Executive Team with New Hires

EL SEGUNDO: Mattel Creations has expanded its team with the appointment of Cheryl Gresham as the VP of global media and marketing integration, and Justin Richardson as the VP of global content distribution and strategy.

Both Gresham and Richardson will report to Mattel’s chief content officer, Catherine Balsam-Schwaber. Richardson, who will attend MIPCOM with Balsam-Schwaber and the Mattel Creations team, will oversee Mattel’s global content distribution portfolio of brands, including Thomas & Friends, Barbie, Monster High, Hot Wheels, American Girl and Ever After High, with distribution teams in the U.S., Asia, Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa.

In her new role, Gresham will be responsible for leading the company’s global media team in the development and execution of media strategies for its brands. Gresham will be charged with maintaining relationships with Mattel’s media partners and global media agencies. She will be tasked with maximizing the value of Mattel’s investments in consumer media, focusing on innovative ways to connect media, digital and content. Gresham will be based in the company’s El Segundo office, while Richardson will work out of the London office.

Gresham joins Mattel from Taco Bell Corporation, where she led media strategy, including digital and social investment. She has also worked at Initiative Media, Davis Elen Advertising and Coca–Cola North America.

Richardson has 20 years of experience and has worked for the Warner Bros. corporate strategy and business development team on integrated content distribution and marketing strategies across multiple territories for brands such as Harry Potter, Batman, Superman and Scooby-Doo. He recently worked for Japanese telecom NTT Docomo.

“Mattel Creations has developed significantly since we announced the new centralized division at MIPTV earlier this year, and I am thrilled to welcome these leaders as we enter the next stage of our evolution and enter a very busy MIPCOM,” said Balsam-Schwaber. “Cheryl and Justin are discerning, innovative executives who understand the enormous global potential of Mattel’s content portfolio, and I am so pleased to introduce them as meaningful additions to the team at such an exciting time for our business.”

Balsam-Schwaber will participate as a keynote speaker a MIPJunior on Sunday, October 16. During the session, Balsam-Schwaber will discuss the intersections between play and content, offering insight into Mattel Creations’ approach to creating original content that resonates globally across all platforms and channels.