NEWS

Neil Bandtock to part ways with Epoch making toys

Published on: 25th June 2020

The company has announced Neil’s interim replacement.

Neil Bandtock

Epoch Making Toys has announced that Neil Bandtock, its managing director for the last three years, is leaving the company at the end of this month.

During his tenure at Epoch, Neil successfully relocated the company from Huntingdon to Uxbridge, and significantly helped build the UK and Irish business. In a statement, the directors of Epoch said they would like to thank Neil for all his hard work and wish him all the best for his future.

Neil will be taking over the helm of another toy company from 1st October, following completion of his notice period.

Following Neil’s departure, Shu Yamagata will be joining EMT as interim managing director. Until recently, Shu was vice president & chairman at Epoch (USA), and has a wealth of experience in international markets. Shu will be working with the UK senior management team to ensure it’s business as usual for EMT and its customers.

Epoch finance director, Dan Tavender, commented: “Although Neil leaving is a loss for the company, we wish him the very best in his new role. Nevertheless, Epoch Making Toys has enjoyed a really strong first half of 2020, with sales up despite the Covid-19 crisis. We have a powerful combination of an iconic, evergreen brand in Sylvanian Families and the No.1 craft kit brand, Aquabeads. Together with some exciting activity planned for Q3 and Q4, we are confident we will continue driving momentum and deliver a seamless transition for our customers. I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome Shu to EMT. We are excited to have someone with in-depth knowledge of the company and our brands join us, and believe he will further strengthen our fantastic team.”

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