Mattel’s EMEA chief and global kidult strategist will take the CCO position, as long-serving executive Steve Totzke steps down
Mattel has named its next Chief Commercial Officer following the news that long-serving executive Steve Totzke will step down from his role as President and CCO effective 1 May.
Sanjay Luthra, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of EMEA and Global Direct-to-Consumer, has been appointed to succeed Steve, overseeing Mattel’s global sales and commercial operations. Steve will stay on as an executive advisor until the end of the year to support a smooth transition.
Sanjay joined Mattel India in 2003, followed by leadership roles in Eastern Europe and Canada, before leading the EMEA and global DTC business. He is credited with transforming the company’s EMEA business, implementing new commercial and digital capabilities, advancing omni-channel selling, and created demand in an increasingly complex environment. He also led Mattel’s global strategy for the adult collector kidult market, which attracts a rapidly growing portion of toy spend.
Sanjay will report to Mattel Chairman and CEO Ynon Kreiz, who said: “Sanjay is a Mattel veteran who has steered EMEA’s transformation to achieve record sales and growth during his tenure, and expanded Mattel’s leadership across the region in key categories.
“On behalf of our board and everyone at Mattel, we thank Steve for his passion and many contributions, and I am personally grateful for his years of partnership. We look forward to Sanjay’s impact in executing our brand-centric strategy to grow our IP-driven play and family entertainment business.”
Sanjay added: “I have been honoured and humbled to be part of this iconic company for the past two decades and across three continents and six countries. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead Mattel’s commercial organization into the future. With Mattel’s incredible portfolio of brands, deep partnerships, and a talented team, we are well positioned to lead the industry in growth, innovation, and impact.”
Steve joined Mattel in 1996, and has held several senior management positions, culminating in his appointment to Chief Commercial Officer in 2018 and promotion to President in 2022. He said it had been “the privilege of a lifetime to be part of Mattel and an industry I have called home for the past 30 years”.
