Mattel Names Ken Wee EVP and Chief Strategy Officer
Toy manufacturer and entertainment company Mattel is looking to elevate its strategic planning, naming Ken Wee as its executive VP and chief strategy officer. In the role, Wee will oversee corporate strategy for the company, identifying growth opportunities, and optimizing business performance.
Wee brings an extensive background in such strategies, having previously served as the chief strategy officer for video game company Activision Blizzard. In the role, he identified M&A and organic growth opportunities, playing a role in Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of the company.
Prior to Blizzard, he was a partner with McKinsey & Company, leading the consulting firm’s interactive entertainment practice and working with clients across media, technology, and private equity.
Read more: Mattel also recently named a new SVP and CTO
Wee will report to Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz, who said, “Ken brings extensive experience in strategic planning, M&A, and corporate development gained in the gaming, technology and media sectors, which bodes well as we further our aim to unlock the full value of our IP outside the toy aisle and create long-term shareholder value.”
An Entertainment-Driven Strategy
The experienced entertainment leader joins as Mattel looks to increasingly blend the line between toy production and digital experiences, most recently having jumped into free ad-supported streaming channels.
The company launched here with Barbie and Friends, Hot Wheels Action, and Mattel Jr. channels, featuring content inspired by such brands as American Girl, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, Thomas & Friends, and more.
Jason Horowitz, SVP, global head of marketing and media at Mattel, previously said the company is using these opportunities to expand its content offerings to deepen relationships with existing Mattel fans and connect with new audiences.
