ViacomCBS Consumer Products (VCP) announced yesterday that Venetia Davie will join the company as Vice President, U.K. and Ireland. Davie will start the role in January, reporting to Mark Kingston, Senior Vice President, International, VCP.
In this role, Davie will lead VCP’s U.K. and Ireland business, managing the London-based team and overseeing local relationships with key VCP partners. Additionally, she will be responsible for both developing promotional partnerships and leading local VCP retail sales and marketing divisions across the two markets.
“Venetia has extensive experience across a range of branded consumer products businesses, and a proven track record of transforming and expanding key properties in markets around the world,” said Kingston. “She will play a pivotal role in developing and implementing a consumer products strategy for our growing business in the U.K. and Ireland.”
Davie previously held several senior roles at leading media company, DC Thompson. Most recently, she led DC Thompson’s acquisition of Petit Collage, a children’s toy and gifting company, and was named Managing Director at Petit Collage in 2017. Davie also served in leadership positions at DC Thompson’s other brands, Wild & Wolf and Paragon Book Publishing. Her roles at Parragon Book Publishing spanned Children’s and Licensed Publishing, Global New Business Development, International Sales, and Gifting. Additionally, Davie previously held senior publishing roles at Mattel and Harper Collins.
VCP has an exciting year ahead in 2020, with several big cinematic releases alongside its iconic franchises. In January, the number-one preschool property, PAW Patrol, will expand further with the launch of PAW Patrol: Ready, Race, Rescue following the success of PAW Patrol: Mighty Pups in 2018. SpongeBob SquarePants’ 20th anniversary celebrations continue with the release of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run in May 2020, and the hotly anticipated Top Gun: Maverick will hit cinemas in July 2020.