Mattel is adding new firepower behind its push to turn brands into broader entertainment and consumer platforms.
Samantha Juneman, Gerardo Leon, and Rahul Lakhwani joined the company on Aug. 31 in senior roles spanning music, consumer products, and strategy and operations. Natalia Premovic, Mattel’s Chief Consumer Products and Experiences Officer, shared the appointments on LinkedIn.
Juneman joins as Head of Music, reporting to Premovic. She will lead efforts to make music a bigger piece of Mattel’s franchise strategy across content, products, marketing, and experiences. Juneman brings more than 15 years of music and entertainment experience and most recently led legacy artist management at Iconic, working with a roster that includes Wu-Tang Clan, Cher, and The Beach Boys.
Leon returns to Mattel as Head of Consumer Products for the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Reporting to Meredith Norrie, Head of Global Consumer Products, he will focus on building larger cross-category programs with retailers and licensing partners. Leon spent the past five years at Netflix, where he worked on strategy and business development with Walmart, Target, and Amazon, and helped establish the company’s food and beverage and beauty licensing businesses.
Lakhwani joins as Head of Strategy and Operations for Consumer Products and Experiences, reporting to Premovic. He most recently led strategy for Fever Originals’ global portfolio of live experiences and brings experience across consumer products, entertainment, and gaming.
The hires add specialized leadership as Mattel continues extending its IP beyond toys through licensing, content, experiences, music, and other consumer touchpoints.
