EL SEGUNDO, Calif.,
Feb. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mattel
(NASDAQ: MAT) today announced that its Board of Directors has
appointed Ynon Kreiz, a director of Mattel since June 2017, as Non-Executive Chairman of the
Mattel Board of Directors, effective at the 2018 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders.
Mr. Kreiz succeeds Christopher A.
Sinclair, the Executive Chairman of the Mattel Board and
former CEO of Mattel, who on June 13,
2017, announced his intention to retire at the end of his
term.
"Over the past several months, the Board has benefitted
immensely from Ynon's deep expertise across digital, media and
entertainment. Ynon has cutting-edge perspective on areas essential
to our transformation strategy, giving the Board full confidence
that he is the right person to succeed Chris as Chairman at this
critical juncture in Mattel's history," said Michael J. Dolan, Independent Lead Director of
the Mattel Board.
"On behalf of the Board and management team, I want to extend my
sincere thanks to Chris for his many years of service to Mattel,
both as CEO and Executive Chairman. Chris' contributions to Mattel
are innumerable and we wish him the very best in his well-deserved
retirement," added Mr. Dolan.
"As we continue our steps to transform Mattel for the future, we
are committed to regularly refreshing and diversifying the
composition of our Board to ensure rapid progress toward delivering
the growth and profitability expected of a toy market leader and
innovator," said Margo Georgiadis,
CEO of Mattel. "Ynon's thought leadership is instrumental to
helping us unlock the value of our incredible global IP portfolio
and deepen our consumer engagement for a digital age. I am excited
about partnering with him even more deeply to accelerate our
progress."
"Mattel is an iconic global company with beloved brands and a
unique ability to connect with consumers of all ages," said Mr.
Kreiz. "As we work to build on these strengths and position Mattel
for growth, we are laser-focused on ensuring the Company reaches
its full potential in a dynamic and rapidly evolving marketplace.
Under Margo's leadership, Mattel's Board and management team have
taken aggressive steps to reinvent the Company. Together, we are
committed to delivering on our strategic pillars and to creating
long-term value for our shareholders."
Mr. Kreiz brings more than two decades of experience in the
media and entertainment industries. He is the former Chairman and
CEO of Maker Studios Inc., a leading creator of online short-form
video content, which was acquired by The Walt Disney Company in
2014. He previously served as Chairman and CEO of Endemol Group,
one of the world's largest independent television production
companies. Prior to that, he was co-founder, Chairman and CEO of
Fox Kids Europe N.V., establishing it as one of the most successful
pay-TV providers in Europe and the
Middle East, leading to its
acquisition by The Walt Disney Company in 2001. Mr. Kreiz serves on
the Board of Directors at Warner Music Group and is also a member
of the Board of Advisors of the UCLA Anderson School of
Management.
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 28,000 people, Mattel
operates in 40 countries and territories and sells products in more
than 150 nations. Visit us online at www.mattel.com.
News Media
Alex Clark
310-252-6398
alex.clark@mattel.com
MAT-CORP
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SOURCE Mattel, Inc.