NOVEMBER 2023
SAMBRO STRENGTHENS UK SALES TEAM TO BOLSTER DOMESTIC TRADING GROWTH
Sambro International has further strengthened its commercial sales team with several new hires and internal moves to help boost the company’s UK sales operations.
Richard Dinham, who joined Sambro earlier this year as Business Development Director, has been promoted to UK Sales Director and will now head up the UK national account management team, providing new direction, focus and strategy.
His role will include driving Sambro’s ambitious plans to increase domestic trading in the UK by working collaboratively with retail partners and licensors, aligning closely with their key sales and promotional periods.
In support of Sambro’s UK growth plans, the business has recently appointed Robin Dent and Angie Goosen as Senior National Account Manager and National Account Manager, respectively, who will support the delivery and growth of key client accounts.
Senior National Account Manager Robin has over 15 years of experience in the toy sector, having previously worked for Rubies, Hornby and Mattel.
Robin will predominantly look after key retailer partnerships such as B&M, Home Bargains and Smyths and will use his expertise to harness expansion opportunities with existing and new client relationships.
New hire Angie Goosen has stepped across from Buyer to National Account Manager after spending 15 years at Blue Diamond Group and Mr Price in South Africa in various buying roles.
Angie brings a wealth of experience from her previous positions and has started to forge strong relationships with clients, such as The Works, CDS, Card Factory and Very.
Robin and Angie will support fellow Senior National Account Manager Ben Bridgen, and their addition will strengthen the strategic skillset of the sales team, helping deliver tangible results for UK retail partners.
UK Sales Director Richard said: “These new hires will bolster our already successful UK sales team. Robin and Angie have already hit the ground running for some of our key retail partners, proving they share the same hunger drive and tenacity as the wider team. We now have a diverse team in place who have fully bought into the new direction that we are taking Sambro in the UK.
“We’re confident this new and improved team will help boost our UK sales. I am delighted to welcome them to team Sambro, knowing we will benefit from their considerable knowledge in various toy markets and customer and licensor relationships. Bringing Robin and Angie in allows them to get fully up to speed before we show our exciting line-up at the London Toy Fair and Nuremberg. With six new licenses, over 200 new SKUs, and a new direction and strategy, AW24 previews are being extremely well received. We are very confident of having a busy and rewarding Toy Fair. Buyers are very enthusiastic about our new collaborative approach. We have moved to a four times bigger stand than in 2023, and the high number of meetings already booked is very encouraging.”
As a leading global supplier of licensed, as well as own-brand toys, Sambro holds close relationships with top licensors, including Disney, Paramount, Mattel, and Hasbro, creating value-led, creative product ranges with leading licensing brands including, Barbie™, PAW Patrol™, Peppa Pig, Disney and Marvel, in addition to own IP products such as Puzzle Palz™ and Love & Hugs™.
Sambro’s innovative products span the categories of Plush, Creative Play, Arts & Crafts, Novelties, Stationery and Outdoor, and have numerous exciting new launches in the pipeline for 2024.
-ENDS-
For more information please contact: sambro@wearebrazenpr.com
About Sambro
Sambro was established in 1996, initially as a Clearance House across multiple categories selling to UK retailers, with licensed products becoming a significant part of this business.
In 2006 the business pivoted to become a licensed toy supplier and became an influential partner for brand owners who were seeking access to the wider UK retail sector. The business quickly developed niche specialities in novelty toys, creative, stationery, backpacks, accessories and arts and crafts products.
Recently, Sambro’s creative strength has evolved into creating its own IP which translates into many licenses. Sambro also has market-leading capabilities for in-house design of its own-brand and licensed toys in Arts and crafts, Creative, Stationery, Feature Plush, Novelty and outdoor toys.
The long-standing, multi-layered and embedded licensor relationships that the business has with iconic global brands such as Disney, Marvel, Nickelodeon, Hasbro and Mattel continues to strengthen over the years.
The trusted and strategic nature of the partnerships that the business enjoys with retailers in the UK and EU, particularly with expanding value retailer outlets in many markets generates continued growth.
Sambro has the core competence of developing products for the value channel, alongside e-commerce, the fastest-growing area of retail across Europe.
The company fosters long-standing relationships with quality product manufacturers.
Sambro, with the employment of a dedicated ESG manager, puts its ecological and social commitments at the forefront of its activities.
The motivated, committed, talented and experienced employee group and leadership team ensure continual development and progressive thinking within the company.
