Magnetic construction brand Magna-Tiles has appointed toy industry veteran Christian Petersen to head up a new office in Europe.
Magna-Tiles has announced the hiring of toy industry veteran Christian Petersen, reinforcing the company’s global expansion and commitment to provide meaningful play experiences to children everywhere. Christian will oversee the opening of the first Magna-Tiles office in Europe, to open later this year.
“Christian comes to Magna-Tiles with an impressive background in international business, specifically in the toy industry,” said president, Michael Valenta. “If there’s one thing that is universally relevant, it’s play. With Christian’s leadership, we’re excited to meet the growing demand for Magna-Tiles products across the globe.”
Prior to joining the Magna-Tiles team, Christian has held leadership positions in Asia, Europe and Latin America, and played a pivotal role in leading the growth of businesses in these key markets. During his tenure with Lego, nearly a decade long, he was MD of Lego Brazil, overseeing sales channels, marketing, operations and finance. In this role, he also oversaw the expansion of Lego brand stores in Brazil.
Christian also brings expertise in the educational toy arena, which is especially important for Magna-Tiles, as a brand that was born in the classroom and continues working with educators and child development thought leaders. He led the start-up of Lego Education activities for Latin America and managed a robust distributor network from Mexico to Argentina. In that role, he also represented Lego Education in government discussions and negotiations across Latin America.
Magna-Tiles bills itself as the original magnetic construction brand. Invented by an educator, for educators, it has grown to become America’s No.1 Magnetic Building Sets Brand (Source: Circana/Retail Tracking Service/Jan-Dec 2022/USD) and an essential tool for every child’s growing mind.
Through word of mouth and hands-on experience, Magna-Tiles sets found their way into toy stores at the urging of families who were seeking ways to bring education, enrichment and meaningful play to their homes.Today, Magna-Tiles sets are now a staple in millions of homes and classrooms across 70+ countries.
The company’s Magna-Tiles Downhill Duo 40-Piece Set was awarded the Pre-School Toy of the Year at the 2023 TOTY Awards in New York last week.
Visit magnatiles.com and follow @magnatiles for more information.
