The Team

John Baulch

Publisher and Managing Director

  • Favourite toys: Thunderbirds (or any Gerry Anderson series), Striker (Football game from the 70s).
  • Sports team: Watford FC.
  • Likes: Music, Travel, Football and a chilled NZ Sauvignon Blanc or a large G&T.

I have over 40 years’ experience of working in the trade press, dating back to 1980, when I first joined Toy Trader magazine. Although I have launched and run numerous publications in a variety of industries over the years, I have always enjoyed working with the toy and licensing trades more than any other I have been involved with.

In 2011, I decided that the time was right to branch out and launch my own toy trade magazine: Toy World, which is now the only B2B toy magazine in the world to be published every single month. I am also delighted to be growing our footprint in the licensing market with the acquisition of Licensing.biz.

Mark Austin

Sales Director

  • Favourite Toys: K’Nex, Meccano and Pogs. My eldest son, Olly, loves collecting Pokémon cards, and each pack opening is a military operation to see if he has a rare or shiny. Oscar is fidget mad as well as loving board games every night, and my partner’s little girl is L.O.L. Surprise! obsessed - I think we now have shares in MGA.
  • Sports team: Manchester City, I’m a massive football fan, for a few years I have been a season card holder with my dad. I have to watch every game. I went through all of my school life being a laughing stock for supporting City, I don’t see them laughing now (mainly because I don’t see anyone from school, apart from a Leeds United fan who I feel sorry for!).
  • Likes: Taking my children to the cinema, family days out and weekend getaways.

With over 10 years in publishing, working across daily/weekly newspapers, monthly/bi-monthly magazines amongst a number of other platforms, the toy industry is by far my favourite, having two young children it is the perfect industry to be involved in.

Anita Baulch

Circulation & Financial Director

  • Favourite toys: my dolls Tiny Tears, Katy Copycat, Sindy & Pippa. Also boxed games, especially ones with lots of bits like Haunted House, On the Buses & Cluedo
  • Sports team: Err…there’s a note from my Mum here somewhere…
  • Likes: Good food and wine, music, reading, theatre – especially musicals. If I’m not here of an afternoon I’ve probably popped off to a matinee.

Upon graduating from Durham I worked first in store for Boots then at Head Office for Makro, both times heavily involved with the Toy Department.

At a Harrogate Toy Fair Function (you know how it is…) I met John. Reader, I married him, and family life became my priority for a while. These days, I work full time with Alakat Publishing; wearing many hats, I’m involved editorially with subbing and proofing, as well as managing the circulation and invoicing. I’m very proud of what we have achieved with Toy World and am excited to be part of the development of the new-look Licensing,biz. Contact me to update your subscription or for any invoicing queries – on either Toys or Licensing.

Rachael Simpson-Jones

Editor

  • Favourite toys: Schleich model animals, particularly the horse and African animal collections, Breyer horses, and Ty Beanie Babies – especially the classic bears
  • Sports team: The Lionesses and Arsenal Women's FC
  • Likes: Amigurumi crochet (making little cuddly animals with a hook and some yarn), walking my three dogs, kickboxing, cooking and films

I graduated from Roehampton University with a BSc. Hons in Zoology having spent many years teaching horse riding – including horseback archery. I then moved into publishing, working as an editor for a company that publishes a range of journals on environmental monitoring equipment. I joined Toy World in 2017, which was quite the change of scenery, but (as we all know) this is an extraordinarily friendly industry and I'm enjoying being a part of it. I'm also delighted to now be moving further into the world of licensing with Licensing.biz.

Marianna Casal

Editorial Assistant

  • Favourite toys: Realistic dollhouses with wooden dolls, Barbie, baby dolls, teddy bears, Heelys and I absolutely loved my fake video camera when I was a girl to record my daily ‘Marianna Banana Show’ vlog.
  • Sports team: St Louis Cardinals and Richmond Knights (baseball).
  • Likes: Playing sports, singing, dancing and Venezuelan food.

I graduated from City, University of London in 2022 with first class honours in journalism. I spent just short of a year as a news reporter for the Henley Standard covering all sorts of news from South Oxfordshire’s villages and towns including court cases, inquests, Henley Royal Regatta, the Henley Festival, current affairs and features on local celebrities fighting for their lives, Olympians and Ukrainian refugees. I have now come back to my hometown to join the toy trade, and I am very excited to become part of this fun industry and meet everyone.

Mark Crowford

Design and Production Manager

  • Favourite toys: Still love the classics such as Subbuteo and Scalextric and don’t need to be asked twice to dig them out of the attic, but to my mind you can’t beat a Call of Duty marathon on the Xbox. I can also play a mean game of Scrabble…currently unbeaten!
  • Sports team: Life long Arsenal fan and sucker for punishment.
  • Likes: A good barbeque, holidays in the sun, watching and playing sports, especially football and tennis.

After working in Advertising for a few good years, I decided to go it alone and became a Freelancer and worked with most of the big agencies in London as a Creative Artworker. I moved away from the big smoke for a less hectic work life and I am now over the moon to have struck the right balance and be a part of the Toy World team.

Caroline Tonks

Assistant Editor

  • Favourite toys: Barbie (especially my Barbie Palace with a working elevator), Polly Pocket, Littlest Pet Shop and Sylvanian Families – basically anything you can create new worlds with. I also loved playing the Club Penguin computer game before it was retired.
  • Sports team: I’m not the biggest sports person… but I do love to go to the ballet, which is just as athletic!
  • Likes: Travel, cooking, photography, candle making and a glass of champagne.

I am a former ballerina turned journalist. Originally from New York, USA, I moved to London in 2022 to pursue my master’s. I graduated from City, University of London in the summer of 2023 with an MA in Magazine Journalism with Merit. I am very excited to be joining the team and starting my journalistic career with Toy World and Licensing.biz, as well as meeting everyone who works in the industry.

Gabriela Jimenez

Assistant Editor

  • Favourite toys: Mattel, especially the Rebelde Barbie line. Littlest Pet Shop, Nintendo, miniature brand toy foods, Ty Beanie Babies, Mystic Babies, Zapf Creations including Baby born and Baby Annabell, and board games including Guess Who? And Ludo. I also love my plush penguin Pudgy from Kenji, he’s a very special gift.
  • Sports team: I’m not so much into sports, but my dad was a huge football fanatic and for that reason I’ve always supported FC Barcelona.
  • Likes: Beach holidays accompanied by piña colada, a good seafood paella and tapas. I also love watching Netflix under a cosy blanket on rainy days, and spending time with my cats Honey and Shiva.

I graduated from The University of Westminster in 2021 with a first-class honours in journalism. Soon after finishing my degree, I joined ASBO magazine and worked as a music journalist interviewing all sorts of cool artists and DJs, including Big Narstie, Matt Maltese, L.A.X, Polo & Pan, and Riton. I have also worked as a copywriter with a company selling health and safety products. I’m thrilled to become part of the team and immerse myself in the world of toys, and perhaps interview some of the companies that made my childhood such an enjoyable time!