In a move to strengthen its preschool brand management, Mattel’s HIT Entertainment has appointed three veteran execs, Robin Gay, Will Speer and Gina Briggs, to head up its global brand and marketing efforts for a number of HIT’s leading properties including Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam and Mike the Knight.

For the newly created positions, Gay and Speer will be UK-based, with Briggs based in New York City. All three will report directly to HIT’s VP of global brands Shari Donnenfeld.

Gay has come on board as the global brand director for Thomas & Friends. He most recently ran the franchise business for Mickey Mouse & Friends (including Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), Winnie the Pooh, Disney Fairies (including Tinker Bell), and Disney Baby for The Walt Disney Company EMEA, as well as managing hit Disney Channel and Disney XD IP including Phineas & Ferb, Hannah Montana, and Wizards of Waverly Place.

Also making the move from Disney, Speer is now global brand director for Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam. He most recently handled franchise management for brands such as Jake and The Neverland Pirates, Doc McStuffins, Monsters University, and Phineas and Ferb.

Briggs rounds out the hires as senior global brand manager for Mike the Knight. She comes to HIT from Nickelodeon where she served in a number of marketing and brand strategy roles working on popular animated properties including SpongeBob, Fairly Odd Parents, and Robot and Monster.

The hires come as Mattel posted weaker-than-expected second quarter profits, but recent licensing growth for Thomas and Mike the Knight.