Singapore – Global footwear company and toy company The LEGO Group have signed a multi-year partnership as its aims to bring to life the many ways sport and creative play can help all kids be the best versions of themselves.

Through this global partnership, families around the globe could see a series of co-branded products, content and experiences beginning next year that combine the imaginative power of LEGO bricks with Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ spirit to invite all kids into play and sport.

Moreover, the partnership reflects Nike and the LEGO Group’s shared commitment to put creativity, fun, sport and imagination back into play, and inspire, engage and empower kids around the world.

To mark the announcement of their partnership, Nike and the LEGO Group curated a special digital animation to spark the excitement and curiosity of kids, families and adults everywhere. It brings to life how sport and creative play will come together and leverage iconic elements from both brands.

At the centre is a specially created LEGO Minifigure head with the Nike Swoosh as the smile, symbolising the unique power of both brands through sport and creativity. This is surrounded by sport references and individual icons from both brands, such as the orange Nike shoebox; the waffle outsole and Nike Air technologies; and the LEGO brick, Minifigure, castle and studs. 

Also included are shared icons such as the duck, the LEGO Group’s first product and a symbol synonymous with Oregon, Nike’s birthplace; the Pegasus horse, a reference to an iconic Nike footwear innovation; and of course the G.O.A.T., a nod to some of the greatest athletes in Nike’s portfolio.

Alero Akuya, vice president of brand development at The LEGO Group, said, “At the LEGO Group, we believe in the power of play to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. By combining the creativity of LEGO play with the energy and passion of sport we want to inspire new ways for kids to play and be creative. We are excited to partner with Nike on this journey and help reimagine how creative play and sport can unite. Together, we will create unique experiences that will engage and excite kids around the world, inspiring them to explore their imaginations.” 

Meanwhile, Cal Dowers, vice president for global kids at Nike, commented, “At Nike, we believe in the power of sport to move the world forward, and that starts with kids. We’re committed to creating a more accessible and inclusive future that inspires kids of all ages and abilities to be more active. Together, with the LEGO Group, we’re excited to invite all kids into a new vision of sport and creative play.”

Denmark – Global toy company The LEGO Group has officially appointed Publicis One as its global media agency. The appointment follows an 18-month pitch, which included incumbent agency Initiative.

Publicis One will commence onboarding from the beginning of July, working with Initiative over a three-month period to ensure a seamless transition and continued strong presence for the LEGO® brand.

The LEGO Group has consistently connected with and inspired fans, families, and kids on the importance of play, launching campaigns as part of the “Rebuild the World” global platform, including “Play Unstoppable” and “Play is Your Superpower.” 

They will continue exploring relevant, and authentic ways to engage its audiences. Its new agency partner, Publicis One, will focus on strengthening these connections within a complex and rapidly evolving media and retail landscape.

Julia Goldin, chief product and marketing officer at The LEGO Group, said, “We were impressed with Publicis One’s depth and breadth of expertise – as well as their aligned cultural values. We look forward to working together to further enhance our ecosystem, leveraging their insights and capabilities to create engaging and meaningful experiences for our audiences. Together, we aim to inspire children and families globally, nurturing creativity and fostering learning through play.”

She added, “We would like to thank the team at Initiative/IPG for a great seven years. They have been with us every step of the way as we significantly grew the business, launched our first global brand campaign, and reached more children than ever before. We are grateful for their support and collaboration.”

Jakarta, Indonesia – The Lego Group has officially opened its largest store in Southeast Asia, with its latest outlet located at the Senayan City shopping mall in Jakarta, Indonesia.

This opening is part of the LEGO Group’s ongoing efforts to expand its presence in Indonesia and strengthen its domestic and travel retail presence in Asia.

The 365 square metre store in Senayan City offers immersive Lego experiences, including Southeast Asia’s first “Lego Minifigure Factory” where shoppers can customise Lego minifigures.

It also features three-dimensional Lego brick models of popular Indonesian icons such as the National Monument and the Jakarta bus, as well as a 3m-tall mosaic wall of the historical Selamat Datang Monument made with 21,562 Lego bricks.

Alongside this, the LEGO Group, together with the LEGO Foundation, has pledged to donate US$1 million over three years to support initiatives designed to provide children and caregivers greater access to “Learning Through Play”.

This store is one of six set to open this year, bringing the total number of Lego stores in Indonesia to 26 across nine cities. Additionally, Lego products are available at 300 other retailers, including toy stores, department stores and official online shops.

Talking about the opening, Claus Kristensen, senior vice president at the LEGO Group APAC, said, “Today marks an exciting milestone in our journey to bring joy and creativity to children across Indonesia. We see potential in this dynamic, growing market and are looking forward to strengthening our presence, reaching more children and inspiring the builders of tomorrow.”

“We have been present in Indonesia for over ten years through distribution and manufacturing partners and appreciate the strong support shown for our brand and business. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with local partners as we further build our presence,” he added.

Notably, this opening also follows LEGO’s recent appointment of two general managers to its Asia Pacific leadership team for business units of Singapore, Malaysia and Travel Retail (SMTR), and India & Emerging Asia (IEA).

Singapore – The LEGO Group has unveiled two new additions to its Asia Pacific leadership team with the appointment of Cedric Roose as general manager for India and Emerging Asia and Nina Patricia Da Costa as general manager for Singapore, Malaysia, and Travel Retail

The appointments underscore the company’s commitment to expanding its presence and driving growth in the region by establishing strong leadership for the recently created business units of Singapore, Malaysia, and Travel Retail (SMTR), and India and Emerging Asia (IEA).

In his new role as general manager for the IEA business unit, Roose will leverage his strong and experienced leadership track record to drive sustainable commercial growth and regional expansion in IEA, with a strategic focus on India and Indonesia.

Prior to his promotion, he served as the LEGO Group’s country manager for New Zealand. A LEGO Group veteran, Roose has spent the last 15 years gaining a wealth of experience in sales, regional commercial development, and general management across Australia, Singapore, and New Zealand. Under his leadership, the LEGO Group’s New Zealand business unit achieved double-digit growth over the last six years. 

Meanwhile, Da Costa, as the new general manager for the SMTR business unit, brings over 17 years of invaluable experience in marketing, sales, and general management across blue-chip multinational organisations.

Her extensive track record as a strategic leader, adept at navigating both local and regional roles in diverse multi-channel environments and categories, positions her as a catalyst for innovation and growth within the business unit. She previously worked at LVMH, serving as the travel retail sales director for Moet Hennessy Travel Retail Asia Pacific Team. 

Da Costa’s appointment underscores the company’s commitment to fostering talent and driving forward-thinking initiatives, including spearheading our expansion efforts in the vibrant and dynamic travel retail category in Asia Pacific.

Speaking on her appointment, Da Costa shared, “I am thrilled to begin this new journey with the LEGO Group, leveraging my expertise in steering the Singapore, Malaysia, and Travel Retail business units and in contributing to the group’s ongoing success in this lively and rapidly evolving region. I am eager to embark on this new and exciting phase of my career, cultivating collaborative synergy within our teams and our esteemed partners as we collectively advance our mission of empowering individuals through the transformative power of play.”

In his appointment, Roose also said, “I am truly honoured and humbled to spearhead the newly established India and Emerging Asia business unit. The potential across India, Indonesia, and other countries in this part of the world is boundless, and I am eager to work closely with the team and our distributor partners to continue championing the LEGO® brand and foster immersive, high-quality play experiences for both children and adults alike.”

Both Roose and Da Costa will report directly to Claus Kristensen, senior vice president of APAC at The LEGO Group

Kristensen shared, “Cedric and Nina joining our APAC leadership team opens an exciting new chapter for us in Asia Pacific. Their expertise, coupled with their proven track records in driving innovation and fostering growth, support our ambition to remain at the forefront of the toy industry in the region. I am confident in their ability to lead their newly created business units as we inspire creativity, shape the future of play, and propel the LEGO Group forward in Asia Pacific.”

Sydney, Australia – The LEGO Group has announced its renewed marketing leadership in Australia & New Zealand, with the appointment of Justine McKenny as its new senior director, head of marketing.

In her new role, McKenny will be responsible for taking leadership of The LEGO Group’s marketing teams in Australia and New Zealand, and will be aiming to push the brand’s marketing efforts across the region. 

Prior to this role, McKenny joined the LEGO Group in 2009 as a marketing assistant, and over the past 15 years she has progressed through the marketing organisation, launching many successful campaigns and new themes, as well as managing an evolving portfolio to lead the Brand team.

In 2021, she was promoted to brand director for Australia and New Zealand, where she was the lead architect in the redesign of the LEGO portfolio differentiation strategy and market principles.

Speaking on McKenny’s appointment, Troy Taylor, vice president & general manager at LEGO Australia & New Zealand, said, “We are so pleased to promote a home-grown talent in Justine to our Head of Marketing role for Australia & New Zealand. Australia is such an important market for the LEGO Group and we felt that Justine’s passion and vision for the LEGO brand, along with her energy and ideas around people development and leadership stood out through the recruitment process.”

“Justine also has a solid track record of delivering results, and has managed and brought to life pretty much our entire theme portfolio over her journey, making her the ideal candidate to take our marketing efforts to the next level in the years ahead,” he added.

Notably, McKenny’s appointment comes after recent leadership appointments in the Asia Pacific region, with Claus Kristensen as the new senior vice president and Uma Ramanan as the new head of marketing for APAC.

Singapore – The LEGO Group has announced new key leadership changes in the Asia-Pacific region, namely Claus Kristensen as the new senior vice president and Uma Ramanan as the new head of marketing. It is also worth noting that these changes also come with Eric Maugein stepping down from his role as regional president for the company in the region.

In his new role, Kristensen will oversee the APAC region and its newly reshuffled business units, aligned to growth priorities and its evolving landscape. His appointment took effect on January 1 this year, and he will report to Colette Burke, chief commercial officer at The LEGO Group and be part of the markets and channels leadership team. 

He joined the company in 2012 as the head of executive strategy and agenda and in 2016, moved to Sydney to become vice president and general manager of the Australia New Zealand Business Unit (BU). Under his leadership, the ANZ BU grew significantly and manifested itself as the biggest BU in APAC. 

In 2021, he stepped into his current role as vice president of APAC marketing and B2B e-commerce. Over the past two years, he has established the regional B2B e-commerce for The LEGO Group.

Speaking on his new role, Kristensen said, “I am honoured to have been appointed to lead the LEGO Group in Asia-Pacific, continuing the legacy of success established by Eric. The LEGO Group is such a storied company and has come a long way over the past 91 years – from a small carpenter’s workshop to a modern, global enterprise that is now one of the world’s largest manufacturers of toys.”

He added, “I am so proud to be part of this company and will be focused on working with the team to deliver a step-up in business performance as we empower more kids and adults around Asia-Pacific to unlock the power of creative play.”

Meanwhile, Ramanan will be responsible for accelerating the LEGO Group’s marketing strategy in the region. With over nine years of experience in the company, Uma brings a perfect blend of strategic vision and boundless imagination to the world of bricks.

She was promoted from her previous role as the APAC brand director in December 2023. Along with her team of brand managers, she led the charge to deliver APAC’s growth targets through integrated marketing and along the way inspiring millions of kids and adults in learning through play with LEGO bricks. 

Uma first began her LEGO journey in the UK/Ireland market as senior brand manager, before working her way up to become brand director and subsequently, global brand director for Asia, based in China.

The new leadership changes also come in line with the company implementing a new organisational structure effective from 1 January 2024 by introducing two new business units – India & Emerging Asia (IEA), and Singapore, Malaysia and Travel Retail (SMTR). 

“This change deepens our commitment to these markets and sets us up to accelerate growth by unlocking new possibilities with dedicated resources, synergies in tackling similar challenges, and continuous innovation to enhance our ongoing relationships with our partners. The change also signifies our continued commitment to drive growth in Asia-Pacific,” Kristensen also added.

These announcements come off the back of the company’s latest expansion in Travel Retail with its two new LEGO Airport Stores (LAS) at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 and Terminal 4. The company also recently invested more than US$1b with the opening of its sixth global factory and its first carbon-neutral facility in Binh Duong Province in Vietnam.