EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) today announced that it has appointed Sven Gerjets as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Amy Thompson as Chief People Officer (CPO) and Nancy Elder as Chief Communication Officer (CCO), effective immediately. The company separately announced the appointment of Joe Euteneuer as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The executives will work closely with CEO Margo Georgiadis and the Mattel leadership team to support Mattel’s transformation strategy focused on delivering enhanced and sustainable growth.
“As we continue to transform Mattel into a consumer-centric, purpose-driven company, we are proud to assemble a world-class leadership team to accelerate our progress and reach our objectives,” said Georgiadis. “One of the keys to our success is attracting forward-thinking leaders who believe in our vision and bring a fresh perspective and strong skillset to Mattel. We are thrilled to welcome Sven, Amy and Nancy to our team and look forward to working with each of them as we execute our strategy to increase value for customers, employees and our shareholders.”
As CTO, Gerjets will create and execute a plan to transform Mattel’s into a more nimble, data-driven company. He will be responsible for all aspects of technology implementation, including shared technology platforms, analytics, software and hardware development and connected products. Gerjets brings more than 25 years of experience leading technology organizations and improving business results across a broad range of industries including telecommunications, higher education, satellite communications and data security. He joins from software startup n.io Innovation where he was Chief Product Officer and currently serves as an advisor. Prior to that, he was Chief Information Officer at Time Warner Cable.
As CPO, Thompson will work with Mattel’s leadership team to champion the company’s values and mission and ensure optimal collaboration across the global workforce. She will focus on building a progressive and world-class Human Resources organization and establish a high-performance company culture. Thompson joins Mattel from TOMS Shoes where she served as the head of HR for five years and successfully developed and implemented plans that increased employee engagement and improved organizational design and accountability. Prior to TOMS, Thompson worked in several global HR leadership roles at Starbucks Coffee Company. She is a supporter of Manhattan Beach Education Fund (MBEF) and a member of Advancing Women Executives.
As CCO, Elder will work closely with Margo and the leadership team to define, establish and promote the Mattel brand as the leading global learning, development and play company. She will oversee all aspects of communications, including corporate, employee, brand, government affairs and the Mattel Children’s Foundation. Most recently, Elder was CCO at JetBlue Airways Corporation where she was responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive strategic vision and reputation strategy for the brand as well as managing media relations, internal communications, social media and crisis communications. She previously held communications and marketing leadership positions at MasterCard, GE and Time Warner. Elder currently serves as a board member of the JetBlue Foundation, GrowNYC and the Montauk Playhouse Community Center Foundation.
About Mattel
Mattel is a global learning, development and play company that inspires the next generation of kids to shape a brighter tomorrow. Through our portfolio of iconic consumer brands, including American Girl®, Barbie®, Fisher-Price®, Hot Wheels® and Thomas & Friends™, we create systems of play, content and experiences that help kids unlock their full potential. Mattel also creates inspiring and innovative products in collaboration with leading entertainment and technology companies as well as other partners. With a global workforce of approximately 32,000 people, Mattel operates in 40 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Visit us online at www.mattel.com.
