LEGO Group appoints new APAC head of marketing and senior VP

Danish toy company The LEGO Group has named Uma Ramanan (pictured left) as its new Asia Pacific (APAC) head of marketing.

As the new APAC head of marketing, Ramanan will be responsible for accelerating the LEGO Group's marketing strategy in the region. Previously, she held the role of regional brand director where she led the charge to deliver APAC's growth target through integrated marketing, according to LEGO in a statement.

Ramanan has over nine years of experience in the LEGO Group where she first began as a senior brand manager in the UK and Ireland, before working her way up to become a brand director and subsequently, global brand director in Asia.

Don't miss: Visa names new senior VP and head of corporate comms

In tandem, the LEGO group has also promoted Claus Kristensen (pictured center) as its new senior vice president in the Asia Pacific region from 1 January 2024. He will report to chief commercial officer Colette Burke and be part of the markets and channels leadership team.

In his new role, Kristensen will oversee the APAC region and its newly reshuffled business units. These include two new business units - India and Emerging Asia (IEA), and Singapore, Malaysia and Travel Retail (SMTR), which LEGO introduced this year.

“I am honoured to have been appointed to lead the LEGO Group in Asia Pacific. 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,' Kristensen said in a statement.

"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.”

Kristensen is an 11-year veteran at the LEGO Group and previously worked in the region as vice president of marketing and B2B eCommerce. He also held roles such as vice president and general manager of Australia and New Zealand as well as head of executive strategy at LEGO Group's headquarters.

Alongside these promotions, Eric Maugein (pictured right) will be stepping down after an almost 20-year tenure at the LEGO Group. Maugein served as LEGO Group's APAC regional president for over three years. Prior to that he held the position of APAC executive vice president, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) senior vice president and vice president of CEEMEA.

The news comes shortly after the company's latest expansion into travel retail with its new LEGO Airport stores at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 and Terminal 4. The company also recently invested more than US$1 billion with the opening of its sixth global factory and its first carbon-neutral facility in Vietnam.

Related articles:
LEGO gets families to reprioritise play with Tan France, Bindi Irwin and Stephanie Beatriz
Ex-TBWA\ SG executive creative director named global creative lead at LEGO
The LEGO group PH celebrates 100 years of Disney with new partnership