Mattel Brand Chief Joins Netflix to Lead Merchandise and Experiences

Netflix hired Roberto Stanichi on November 5 to head its consumer products and experiences division. The company announced that Stanichi, who currently serves as president, chief marketing and brand officer at Mattel, will become its new vice president for this role. His appointment marks a major shift in how the streaming service manages its physical brand presence.

Stanichi has led Mattel's global brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, and UNO, for the past several years. He leaves Mattel during a period of significant leadership change at the toy maker. Ynon Kreiz, Mattel's former CEO, departed last month to become co-CEO of Skydance. Roger Lynch, who previously led Condé Nast, stepped in to replace Kreiz at Mattel. To fill the vacancy left by Stanichi, Mattel appointed Steve Totzke as its new president and chief operating officer. Totzke previously held the title of president and chief commercial officer at the company.

At Netflix, Stanichi will manage two distinct areas. He will lead the licensing and retail business for consumer products. He will also oversee the experiences division, which includes Netflix House locations in Pennsylvania and Texas. The company is set to open a new Netflix House in Las Vegas. This division also handles standalone and traveling exhibitions based on popular titles such as Bridgerton and Squid Game.

Stanichi will report directly to Marian Lee, the chief marketing officer at Netflix. Lee praised Stanichi's track record in building global brands from iconic characters. She noted that his experience would help extend the connection between Netflix stories and fans' daily lives beyond the screen.

Stanichi expressed enthusiasm for joining the team, citing Netflix's strong culture of innovation. He described the company's storytelling and fandom as powerful forces that he aims to expand into physical worlds and products. He called it a privilege to work with Lee to create new touchpoints for fans.

Netflix has worked to grow its products and experiences sector in recent years. The goal is to generate revenue while deepening fan engagement with its intellectual property. The hiring of a high-profile executive from a major toy manufacturer signals the company's continued investment in this area. The move follows months of discussions regarding Stanichi's potential departure from Mattel.