Sanrio Grows Licensing Departments
Sanrio Inc.,owner of the Hello Kitty brand, isexpanding its licensing department with the addition of two new directors forsoft lines—such as apparel, accessories, footwear and domestics—and hard lines,such as toys, homewares, stationery and seasonal merchandise.
The Japan-based company named Linh Forse as senior directorof licensing for soft lines and Laura Takaragawa as senior director oflicensing for hard lines. Both will be based in Sanrio’s U.S. headquarters inTorrance, Calif.
Forse has been with Sanrio since 2008, most recently asdirector of licensing for soft lines. She will oversee Sanrio’s North Americanlicensing partners and help develop soft lines as well as grow the company’sinteractive and publishing divisions. Before joining Sanrio, Forse was with Jakks Pacific and Brand Sense Partners.
Takaragawa is charged with growing emerging Sanrioproperties, as well as expanding its flagship Hello Kitty business. Previously,she held licensing positions with Disney, Mattel and Guess. This is a return to Sanrio for Takaragawa, who previouslymanaged licensed marketing for the hard-lines division.
“As Sanrio continues to grow in the consumer-productsbusiness, our goal is to manage the growth strategically and to uphold thebrand’s integrity,” said Janet Hse, chief operating officer of Sanrio. “BothLaura and Linh have a strong understanding of the licensing industry as well asa personal love and connection with our brands. As they bring their knowledgeand broad range of experience into their new roles, I’m confident that we willstrengthen our portfolio and continue to build comprehensive programs thatcapture the core essence of what is unique and special about Sanrio.”—Alison A. Nieder
