It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Brown, who left us peacefully yesterday after a long illness.
Born in 1944, Peter, following a boarding school education, began his remarkable journey in the toy industry in 1966 with Mettoy. His passion and acumen quickly became evident, and he went on to lead the U.S. subsidiary of Britains Petite’s until 1983. That year marked his return to the UK, where he helped form Tomy UK, establishing brands such as Silvanian Families, Zoids, and games like Pop-Up Pirate. Peter held the position of European Group Managing Director.
Peter’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish Flair Products in 1999, a company that flourished under his guidance and delivered many excited brands to market including Plasticine, Sticklebricks, and of course Sylvanian Families. Flair was acquired by Giochi Preziosi in 2008.
A respected figure and legend in the industry, Peter joined the Fence Club in 1990 and served as our Chairman in 2003/2004. He was also a past Chairman of the British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA). In recognition of his lasting contributions, Peter was honoured with the Toy Retailers Association’s ‘Personality of the Year award’ in 2011 and received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award.
Peter will be fondly remembered as a kind and unassuming man—a true gentleman. He was a sharp, insightful businessman with an innate understanding of his customers and the evolving toy industry. His legacy will live on through the many lives he touched both personally and professionally.
He will be deeply missed and our thoughts are with Penny and his family.
