Leading Executives in Toy Stores
Yehuda Shmidman
Chairman & CEO. , WHP Global (parent of Toys“R”Us)
Brand-management dealmaker who revived Toys“R”Us with U.S. flagships, shop-in-shops, and travel-retail expansions after acquiring the brand; continues to spearhead global growth of the toy-store icon.
Andrew Murphy
Group Chief Executive Officer. , The Entertainer (UK)
Ex–John Lewis executive leading the UK’s biggest specialty toy chain, powering its Tesco aisle takeover and an employee-ownership transition completing in September 2025.
Sharon Price John
President & CEO (Chief Executive Bear). , Build-A-Bear Workshop
Turnaround and growth-focused leader credited with modernizing the experiential plush retailer and delivering record performance while expanding licensing and content.
Ben Kaufman
Co-founder & CEO. , CAMP (U.S.)
Co-founded the experiential toy-store chain famous for its hidden ‘magic door’ shows and brand pop-ups; a leading voice on family-centric, immersive retail.
Lauren Derse
Chief Executive Officer. , Learning Express Toys
Second-generation leader (appointed 2022) of the largest U.S. specialty toy-store franchise system, driving marketing modernization and franchisee community-building.
website | LinkedIn | franchise
John Bayliss
Chief Executive Officer. , Mastermind Toys (Canada)
Retail veteran brought in May 2025 to steer Mastermind’s brand refresh and store revamps following its January 2024 rescue by Unity Acquisitions.
Alberto Rivolta
Group Chief Executive Officer. , PRG Retail Group (Prénatal, Toys Center, FAO Schwarz EU license, Toys“R”Us Iberia JV)
Group boss since 2024 overseeing a multi-banner toy and kids’ retailer across Southern Europe, integrating FAO Schwarz licensing and the Toys“R”Us Iberia platform.
Philippe Gueydon
Directeur Général (CEO). , King Jouet (France/CH/BE)
Longtime leader of France’s toy specialist; regained majority family control in 2024 and is pushing experiential urban flagships like the new Paris Saint‑Lazare concept.
Paloma Pérez
Chief Executive Officer. , Toys“R”Us Iberia (Spain & Portugal)
Digital-first retail chief who stayed on to lead the business after PRG’s acquisition, continuing the experiential ‘5.0’ store strategy in Iberia.
Leo Tsoi
Chief Executive Officer. , Toys“R”Us Asia (Greater China/SEA)
Ex–Starbucks China executive hired in 2023; rolled out the ‘Live Toyful’ brand platform in 2025 to capture the fast-growing ‘kidult’ segment across 10 markets.
Niels B. Christiansen
President & CEO. , The LEGO Group (LEGO Brand Retail stores globally)
Engineer-turned-CEO who has accelerated LEGO’s own-channel retail expansion and experiential stores while delivering double‑digit growth and new U.S. manufacturing plans.
Sumeet Yadav
Chief Executive Officer. , Hamleys (global)
Leads the world’s ‘Finest Toy Shop’ under Reliance Brands, doubling down on theater-led retail and co‑branded experiences like the expanded Build‑A‑Bear in London.
Jamie Cygielman
President & General Manager. , American Girl (a Mattel brand)
Brand and retail leader steering American Girl’s experiential stores (cafés, salons, events) and omni strategy; frequent voice on modern experiential retail.
Billy Lagor
Chief Executive Officer. , Entertainment Earth (U.S., online/toy collectibles retail + wholesale)
Ex‑Hasbro executive appointed in 2024 to scale one of the biggest pop‑culture toy e‑tailers and its EE Distribution wholesale arm.
Joel Boblit
Founder & President. , BigBadToyStore (U.S.)
Collector‑first founder who built BBTS into a cornerstone of the adult collectibles market, pioneering features like ‘Pile of Loot’ and multiple warehouse expansions.
Hylton Bannon
Managing Director. , Toy Kingdom (South Africa)
Retail operator pushing convenience with on‑demand delivery (nationwide 60‑minute service via Mr D) while broadening the chain’s experiential assortment.
Lee Ching Yiu
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. , Kidsland International (China)
Chairman‑CEO of mainland China’s largest toy specialist, operating Kidsland stores, LEGO Certified Stores, and FAO Schwarz in China; doubling down on ‘kidult’ and experiential formats in 2025.
Tony Smyth
Director & Co‑founder. , Smyths Toys (Ireland/UK/EU)
Co‑founder/director of the family‑run chain that grew into a 290+‑store pan‑European powerhouse and frequent market‑share leader in toys.
Patrick Smyth
Director & Co‑founder. , Smyths Toys (Ireland/UK/EU)
Co‑founder/director helping steer the continent‑wide expansion and operational discipline of the Smyths Toys group.
Related Topics
Further Reading
Was this page helpful? We'd love your feedback — please email us at feedback@dealstream.com.