Following huge growth at the company and a raft of senior promotions, Ellie Moore has been appointed as MGA and Zapf Sales director for the UK and Ireland.

MGA Entertainment and Zapf Creation have announced the appointment of Ellie Moore in the newly created role following several high-level promotions in recent months, including Sara Taylor as senior vice president for the UK and FR.IT.ES, and Michelle Lilley as vice president of Marketing, EMEA.

Previously Sales director for Zapf Creation, Ellie Moore joined the company in January 2023. Prior to this she was head of Sales at MV Sports & Leisure. Having begun her new role as MGA and Zapf Creation Sales director this month, Ellie now oversees the UK and Ireland sales team and is responsible for heading up a range of brands, including L.O.L. Surprise!, Rainbow High, MGA’s Miniverse, Little Tikes, evergreen Zapf brands Baby born and Baby Annabell and the newest addition to the MGA portfolio, Fluffie Stuffiez.

Ellie commented: “Since joining Zapf Creation at the start of the year, I’ve loved bringing my wealth of skills and experience to some of the nation’s favourite brands such as Baby born and Baby Annabell. I am thrilled that my new role now includes some of MGA Entertainment’s incredible brands and look forward to working with the wider MGA team and sales partners as we prepare for a busy Q4 and a very exciting 2024.”

This announcement follows the promotion of Sara Taylor from managing director for UK and Ireland to senior vice president for the UK and FR.IT.ES in July this year. Sara’s new remit sees her managing the UK and Ireland, France, Italy and Spain and she will focus on driving the strategy across all territories and respective teams. Sara joined MGA in August last year (2022) with over 31 years’ experience in the industry, including senior roles at Spin Master, Funrise and Mattel.

Also, in July this year, Michelle Lilley was promoted to vice president of Marketing, EMEA. Michelle, who began working at MGA Entertainment as Marketing manager for Little Tikes in 2013, now oversees the marketing function for all brands across the UK, Ireland and EMEA territories, with a focus on driving widespread consumer demand across all channels.

Commenting on the new roles and promotions, Sara Taylor stated: “These newly created positions herald a new era for MGA Entertainment and Zapf Creation as we bring our different territories closer together and align our work as a truly global company. With the success of new launches, such as MGA’s Miniverse and Fluffie Stuffiez, and the continued growth and dominance of brands such as L.O.L. Surprise!, Little Tikes and Rainbow High, I have every confidence that MGA Entertainment will continue to be at the forefront of the toy industry for the rest of 2023 and beyond.”