Mattel Taps Walmart Exec as Global Corporate Communications VP

Mattel Inc. is updating its global communications team.

The company hired Danit Marquardt as vice president of global corporate communications. The former Walmart executive will lead 360-degree communications for corporate narratives and will partner with the brand public relations team to fully leverage consumer announcements for corporate and internal audiences. Marquardt will report to Dena Cook, executive vice president and head of global communications and public relations.

Marquardt, whose previous experience includes positions at Cohn & Wolfe, Zeno Group, and Fleishman Hillard, recently led consumer communications for walmart.com, prior to which she oversaw communication for marketing and various merchandising divisions for Walmart U.S.

Additionally, Marissa Beck was recently promoted to senior director global brand communications, reporting directly to Cook.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.