Nancy Fowler (formerly Bassett) moves up from svp to the newly created position of president, Worldwide Consumer Products at DIC. She will expand her role to include actively participating in the acquisition of new childrens properties for the purpose of developing licensing and merchandising programs for DIC. Additionally, she will continue to oversee the development and implementation of licensing and merchandising programs for the company's high-profile entertainment and lifestyle children's brands, as well as spearhead DIC's global brand management team and the company's extensive network of licensees around the globe.
Fowler, joined DIC in 2002 as svp of Worldwide Consumer Products, with a department of six and now oversees 14 employees, four consultants and more than 30 international agents primarily for the Strawberry Shortcake and Trollz brands. Fowler was responsible for managing the worldwide re-launch of the hit Strawberry Shortcake brand in 2003, which has generated approximately $700 million in worldwide retail revenues to date and boasts some 300 global licensees.
This year, Fowler and her team are focusing on the all-new 'tween' brand for Trollz, which DIC has contemporized from the classic Troll doll that became a multi-billion dollar brand. Fowler has secured some of the top partners for the 2005 back-to-school rollout, including Hasbro, Scholastic, Warner Home Video, Mamiye Bros., Ubisoft and One World Interactive, as well as more than 50 licensees in North America. Additionally, Fowler manages the licensing and merchandising programs for high-profile brands such as Madeline.
"Nancy's creative instincts, industry expertise and management style are unsurpassed, and she has been integral to the incredible growth and success of DIC over the past couple of years with the re-launch of Strawberry Shortcake and the upcoming rollout of Trollz," said by Andy Heyward, chairman/ceo of DIC. "We are thrilled to have an executive of Nancy's caliber who possesses talent, skill and integrity as a leading member of the DIC team, and I look forward to working with her for many years to come as DIC continues to set its mark as a leader in its field."
Prior to joining DIC, Fowler worked for eight years at Viacom Consumer Products, the licensing division of Paramount Pictures Corp., where advanced to be vp of Worldwide Licensing, a newly created position for Viacom Consumer Products. Fowler briefly relocated to New York for Viacom as the interim md of Hamilton Projects and helped to transition the South Park/Comedy Central merchandising business to Viacom Consumer Products' Los Angeles-based operations.
Fowler, a Toronto native, established Alliance Atlantis' worldwide merchandising department. Additionally, she held the position director of marketing for Sega of Canada.
DIC is planning to announce other brand developments later this year.
DIC Ent. (www.dicentertainment.com) a leading children's entertainment company, is a full-service studio dedicated to creating, developing, producing, distributing, marketing and merchandising family-based intellectual properties. DIC is headquartered in Burbank, California with international offices in New York, Paris, London and Cologne.
