Licensing International Announces Six New Board Members

Licensing International today announced that six executives were elected by the Licensing International membership to serve three-year terms on its Board of Directors, effective July 1.    

The new board members are Paul Cannon, Caprice Australia; Carolyn D’Angelo, Gordon Brothers; Pamela Deese, ArentFox Schiff; Raj Malik, Bioworld Merchandising; Marie-Laure Marchand, Chefclub and George Wade, Bay Laurel Advisors. They were elected by the Licensing International membership to serve three-year terms on its Board of Directors. 

Steve Scebelo, president, NFL Players, will continue to serve as chairperson; Veronica Hart, executive vice president, global franchise planning, Paramount Consumer Products & Experiences, will continue to serve as vice chairperson; and Marc Schneider, chief financial and chief operating officer, Beanstalk, will continue to serve as treasurer.   

“I am so pleased to welcome the six new members of our Board, whose diverse experiences and invaluable knowledge will help Licensing International support the expansion of brand licensing around the world,” says Maura Regan, president, Licensing International. “I want to thank outgoing board members Valerie Mitchell Johnston, Alan Kravetz, Vincent Leoni, Roz Nowicki, Steven Wolfe Pereira, and Miki Yamamoto for their time and dedication.”   

Related:Licensing International Excellence Awards Winners Unveiled

Cannon is currently the chief executive officer, Caprice Australia, and has contributed to the success of Australia’s leading licensed consumer goods company covering apparel, footwear, bags, and homewares.  

D’Angelo specializes in strategic marketing, licensing and brand building among the best brands in the fashion and home lifestyle industries. In her current role at Gordon Brothers, Carolyn is senior managing director, Brand Operations, and president, Laura Ashley. D’Angelo leads new business development and licensing opportunities within the equity and debt portfolios. As President of Laura Ashley, she develops categories and geographies within the British brand’s home and fashion sectors. She also oversees the Nicole Miller brand, which became part of the portfolio in 2022. 
Deese is a law partner with ArentFox Schiff and based in the firm’s DC office. Her practice focuses on intellectual property representation and includes counseling brand owners and patent pools in developing and maintaining strategic licensing programs as well as maintaining IP portfolios. Deese’s work also includes advertising review and litigation for consumer products companies. Among other things, she provides counsel with respect to the creation, negotiation and enforcement of licenses and related agreements as well as the management of worldwide IP rights and representation involving counterfeiting, sweepstakes and promotions, endorsements and related business litigation. 

Malik is the founder and chief executive officer, Bioworld Merchandising, the leading global manufacturer of licensed apparel, accessories and home goods.  

With 30 years of licensing experience in the kids’ media and entertainment industry, Marchand is senior vice president, business development and global consumer products, Chefclub, a global food-themed studio and entertainment brand. She began her career at Nelvana, where she set up its EMEA Consumer Products Division in Paris and elevated renowned brands such as “Babar,” “Franklin” and “Beyblade” across all platforms. More recently Marchand has held a number of key positions at animation houses  including Studio 100 and Xilam. 

Wade has become an innovator in the project development and licensing of major entertainment brands for high-end, location-based entertainment (LBE) projects, including theme parks, themed attractions and interactive entertainment venues. His career in licensing for LBEs began in the 1990s when he licensed “Robocop” for Iwerks Entertainment as a major simulation ride.