Brands
Reesee Entertainment names Pavel Jelšik as vice president of global sales
Toy industry veteran joins to steer 2026 international push
GUANGZHOU: China based children’s entertainment and licensing company Reesee Entertainment has appointed seasoned toy executive Pavel Jelšik as vice president of global sales, signalling a confident step into its next phase of international growth.
Jelšik joins from Playmind Group, where he served as VP of international sales and marketing. Over a career spanning more than 20 years, he has led global sales for the Toy Plus, Sweet’n’Fun and National Products portfolios, and managed the Minix brand across select territories. His track record stretches across Europe, Asia, North and South America, where he has built distribution networks, nurtured licensing partnerships and scaled brands from promising newcomers to retail regulars.
Based in Europe, Jelšik will now oversee Reesee’s global sales strategy, with a brief to accelerate expansion and sharpen the company’s commercial edge. His appointment comes as Reesee strengthens its international infrastructure following steady growth across Southeast Asia, Europe and North America.
Founded in 2018, Reesee has carved out a niche in IP content monetisation and trend driven toy development. The company works with globally recognised names including My Little Pony, Barbie, Hot Wheels and Sesame Street, while also building its own original properties such as Nomster and Dewbee.
For Jelšik, the opportunity lies in turning creativity into global shelf space. “Reesee combines a compelling vision with a strong flow of creative ideas,” he said, adding that his focus will be on widening the company’s global footprint and deepening strategic partnerships to create toy experiences that resonate with families worldwide.
Chief executive Ray Wang believes the timing is right. He said Jelšik’s international experience and ability to scale toy businesses will be key as Reesee expands across priority markets.
With fresh leadership in global sales and a growing portfolio of brands, Reesee appears set to move from playroom favourite to a more formidable name on the world stage.
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
