Helen Round has joined 4Kids Entertainment International as international marketing and communications manager. Round will manage 4Kids’ brands and agents in EMEA territories including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Benelux, Portugal, Turkey, Israel, the Middle East, and Africa. Previously she spent three years with MTV Networks International’s Emerging Markets sector as a marketing executive.Nicola Elliott, 4Kidzssenior licensing co-ordinator for the UK, will take on the responsibilities of Emily French Ullah, UK licensing manager, while Ullah is on maternity leave.

HIT Entertainment’s home entertainment business has been reorganized with Gavin Metcalfe promoted to senior director for international home entertainment. Metcalf supported by Luciana Bianchi, and the EMEA team will now be responsible for the Asia/Japan region and helping to drive future growth for this critically important region. Metcalf is responsible for all sales and business development in this wider region. Bianchi has also been promoted to the newly created position of licensing executive, international home entertainment.

Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group has named Brian Offutt to the new position of senior vice president of creative operations. Offutt will be responsible for all of the operational, financial, technology and human resources processes for Nick’s Creative Resources and On-Air departments. He will also manage key vendor relationships and outside partnerships, and will manage the delivery of creative services to key departments throughout the Kids and Family Group including: programming; marketing; consumer products; digital; and public affairs.

The Toy Industry Association announced that Al Verrecchia of Hasbro has been unanimously elected chairman of TIA. Bryan Stockton, president, international of Mattel, was elected vice chairman, and Soren Torp Laursen, president, Lego Americas, was elected secretary/treasurer.

Newly elected members of the Board of Directors include industry veterans Jay Foreman, President, Play Along, George Irwin, chairman and CEO, Itoys and Etienne Veber, president and chief operating officer, Learning Resources. Each will serve a two-year term. Board members re-elected to serve a second two-year term are: Jim Engle, president, Little Kids, Inc.; Brian Goldner, chief operating officer, Hasbro; Robert Pasin, CEO, Radio Flyer; James Pressman, president, Pressman Toy and Anton Rabie, president and Co-CEO, Spin Master Ltd.

Scripps Networks has appointed Sergei Kuharsky as general manager, Scripps Networks Enterprises. Kuharsky will work closely with each of Scripps Networks’ lifestyle brands (including HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living Network, and country music network Great American Country) to expand the company’s initiatives in licensing, merchandising and publishing (books, DVDs, magazines, and video games).
 
Brand licensing agency Global Icons has promoted three staffers and hired several more. Global Icons promoted Bill McClinton to SVP of licensing, while he also serves as a partner with the company. Brian Mann, former licensing manager, was promoted to director of licensing, and will continue his duties to manage the hard lines categories. John Bickenbach, formerly financial analyst, was promoted to finance. New hires include Francesca Pascolini (executive director of marketing and retail development), Lori Skope (licensing manager), and Sarah Frumkin (product development manager).