Just Play recruits Hasbro’s former VP of business development

Jess Richardson joins the toyco, which also recently hired former Cardinal Industries president Joel Berger and two veterans to run its European operations.
July 27, 2023

CoComelon, Hot Wheels and Barbie toy partner Just Play has hired Hasbro alum Jess Richardson (pictured) to grow its licensing business.

Richardson started in his new role as SVP of global licensing and new business development last month, and is responsible for overseeing Just Play’s existing global licensing business and seeking new brand partners to expand the Philadelphia-based company’s portfolio of licensing deals.

At Hasbro, Richardson served for more than a year as VP of business development and also headed up North American business and retail development for two years. Prior to that, he was a director of licensing for Netflix and worked at media organization WWE as VP of licensing business development.

Richardson joins Just Play on the heels of three other recent recruits. In January, former Cardinal Industries president Joel Berger came aboard as SVP of new business development, with a remit to identify growth opportunities in international markets. He led Cardinal Industries from 2015 to 2020 and then joined New York-based Tara Toy Corporation in 2021 as EVP of business development.

Just Play also hired two new country managers this spring to run its European operations. Alexis Lanzas started in April and is focused on Iberia, while Sebastien Cardi joined last month to cover France.

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