Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) has revealed its second keynote for this year’s event, and it’s a triple-header. On Oct. 6, French grocer Carrefour will take the main stage with Jazwares and Sun City to give visitors a peek inside the playbook of their recent Pokémon partnership.
Titled “The Power of Partnership in European Retail,” the panel will begin with a presentation from Marianne Lesimple, Carrefour’s Director of Toys & Leisure Group, exploring the retailer’s overall licensing strategy, from how it screens and selects partners to designing and executing mass-market brand collaborations. Throughout the talk, viewers will learn more about the European retail landscape, regional consumer trends, and what brands and licensees can expect when working with major retailers like Carrefour.
After, Lesimple will join Vincent Vandamme, the Head of Jazwares’ French Office, and Emmanuel Assouline, Sun City’s Chief Operating Officer, to discuss the trio’s recent Pokémon program, pulling back the curtain on how the collaboration came to be and where it’s going next. The session will be moderated by BLE’s EMEA Sales Director, Matthieu Battini, and close with an open audience Q&A.
“We are beyond excited to bring together three major players in brand licensing for the first time at BLE,” said Ella Haynes, Event Director, Global Licensing Group. “The BLE audience will exclusively hear why Jazwares, Sun City, and Carrefour were such a perfect match for this Pokémon collaboration, get a behind-the-scenes look at the journey from concept to execution, and leave armed with valuable lessons on leveraging collaboration to drive success in the licensing industry.”
“The Power of Partnership in European Retail” keynote will take place Oct. 6 at 11:30 a.m. on the License Global Main Stage. To secure a spot at the session, register for a BLE 2026 visitor pass online at brandlicensing.eu. Those who sign up before Oct. 5 receive a second visitor pass for free.
