Things are poppin’ in the C-suite at Funko.
The Washington-based purveyor of pop culture lifestyle products ended its latest CEO search with the appointment of Josh Simon, effective September 1.
Simon joins the company from Netflix, where he served as Vice President of the streamer’s consumer products business. He succeeds Mike Lunsford, who’s been in his second stint as Interim CEO since July 5. Simon also joins Funko’s Board of Directors, effective on the same date.
“Josh is an exceptional leader, and his extensive experience in entertainment and consumer products is exactly what Funko needs in its next CEO,” says Charles Denson, Chairman of the Board of Funko. “Moreover, he brings expertise in operations, licensing, and strategy, gained while serving in senior leadership roles at such esteemed companies as Netflix, Nike, and The Walt Disney Co. We are delighted to have him as our CEO as we work to maximize the significant growth opportunities ahead.”
During his time at Netflix, Simon built and scaled the consumer products division, developing products for Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton, and many other titles. He also launched the company’s e-commerce platform, oversaw the Roald Dahl Story Co., and led the growth of a robust experiences business across 300 cities worldwide.
I am honored to join the team at Funko, an iconic company with a huge fan base that I admire and respect. Pop culture — and people’s desire to connect with the lifestyle brands they love — is stronger today than ever. There are so many ways we can build on Funko’s fandom and expand our business for the benefit of both customers and shareholders.”
Funko has been in the midst of a turnaround, most recently finding itself back in a position of duality between consumer demand for proven products and increased organizational and economic challenges. With Simon taking the reins and coming in armed with years of experience and strong retail relationships, the industry will no doubt take great interest in how the business evolves in the months ahead.
