Ynon Kreiz to Become CEO of Mattel

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Ynon Kreiz has been appointed as the next chief executive officer of Mattel, effective April 26, as Margo Georgiadis, who was named CEO last year, resigns from her executive and board duties.

Georgiadis is stepping down from the company to pursue a new opportunity in the tech sector. She will serve in an advisory role through May 10. As previously announced, Kreiz, a Mattel director since June 2017, will also become chairman of the board. He is replacing Christopher A. Sinclair, executive chairman and former CEO of Mattel.

Kreiz is the former chairman and CEO of Maker Studios. Earlier in his career, he was chairman and CEO of Endemol Group.

“Ynon has tremendous expertise across areas critical to our strategy, including digital, media and entertainment, and we have already benefitted from that experience and his compelling vision for the company since he became a director,” said Sinclair. “Ynon has excelled at anticipating industry trends and brings an outstanding track record of innovation and success, with over 20 years of experience in the media and entertainment industries, including particularly deep experience in children’s entertainment. We are pleased he has agreed to take on this new role and are confident he and Margo will ensure a seamless transition given their strong relationship.”

Sinclair continued: “On behalf of the board and management team, we thank Margo for her service and many contributions to Mattel. We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

Kreiz noted: “Mattel is an iconic company with many of the world’s most beloved brands and greatest toy franchises. I am excited by the opportunity to lead the company towards its next phase of transformation and restore Mattel to a high-performing toy company. While the company has been facing significant challenges, we have achieved constructive progress in many key areas. I am committed to building on our existing strategy as we continue to aggressively implement our transformation plan. Since joining the board in June 2017, I’ve been impressed with the quality and depth of the team across the organization. I look forward to working together to fulfill Mattel’s long-term potential and unlock the full value of its world-class IP.”

Kreiz continued: “I would like to thank Margo for her exceptional contribution to reset the company for the future and I am grateful for the time we spent together at Mattel.”

Georgiadis added: “We have made strong progress in addressing the critical structural challenges facing Mattel, and I know Ynon is committed to building on that progress alongside our talented leadership team. It has been a privilege to lead such an iconic company at an important time of change, and I want to thank the amazing people at Mattel for their tireless commitment to inspiring wonder in kids across the world. I am proud of what we accomplished together and confident in Mattel’s path forward.”