The full agenda for this year’s Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) is now live and online with newly announced educational sessions on museum and heritage brand licensing, sustainability, a focus on European variations and opportunity, resilience and career advice.  

This year’s expert speakers hail from an array of licensing disciplines and categories as well as wider business, with representatives from Xbox, Crafters Companion, Primark, MoMA, The Met, STUDIOCANAL, The Lego Group, The Walt Disney Company, Jazwares, Sanderson Design, Paramount UK and many more.  

Visitors and exhibitors to BLE now have all the information they need to fully plan their itineraries with three weeks still to go. BLE is Europe’s leading event for licensing and brand extension and takes place 24-26 September at ExCeL, London.  

“This year’s programme includes a free, inclusive three-day conference programme, valuable networking opportunities and lots of fun ‘not-to-be missed’ events – all great complements to the thousands of pre-planned and spontaneous, business critical meetings taking place on the show floor,” said BLE event director Ella Haynes.  

“We are now less than three weeks until show time – over 2220 meetings have already been arranged online between brands, retailers and manufacturers, so time is ticking, and I urge everyone to make the most of the BLE online Event Planner to find the right brands, people and businesses to book meetings with, and get those schedules filled to avoid disappointment.” 

Newly announced for Wednesday 25 September: 

1145-1215: The art of museum licensing 

Learn about the current museum and heritage licensing landscape, examine case studies of recent success stories, and gain key insights into the trends driving consumer behaviour into 2025 and beyond. 

Speakers:  

• Josh Romm, Head of Global Licensing & Partnerships, The Met 

• Robin Sayetta, Head of Business Development, MoMA 

• Maxine Lister, Head of Licensing, Natural History Museum 

• Marijn Veraart, Head of Global Partnerships & Licensing, Van Gogh Museum 

• Moderator: Esther Jolley, Director – Brand Extension, Stobbs 

1400-1430: Turning a heritage brand into a global phenomenon 

Join STUDIOCANAL as they unveil their ambitious global vision for the beloved Paddington IP. This exclusive session will explore the ongoing journey of Paddington from a classic character to a worldwide cultural phenomenon ahead of the highly anticipated November release of the third blockbuster film Paddington in Peru. 

Speakers: 

• Françoise Guyonnet, EVP kids brands at STUDIOCANAL & CEO Copyrights 

• Sissel Henno, head of global sales licensing & retail 

1500-1530: Doing licensing in Europe. The distinct characteristics of the industry on the European mainland 

A comparative analysis of players in the licensing industry chain, focusing on the distinctive features, attributes and prospects for business growth in the market from the standpoint of European companies.  

Speakers: 

• Fabienne Gilles, CCO consumer products and family entertainment, Peyo Company, Belgium 

• David Pérez Balaguer, founder, Mad House, Spain 

• Christopher Becker, Director Licensing & Partnerships, Tonies, Germany 

• Moderator: Cristina Angelucci, editor-in-chief, Licensing Magazine 

1515-1545: Futureproof Your brand: gaming’s role in shaping tomorrow’s IP landscape 

Explore how technology and distribution platforms are reshaping IP choices. 

Speaker: Adam Woodgate, VP Research Solutions, The Insights Family  

1600-1645:   Mapping a sustainable pathway: how the industry is adapting to new demands 

Speakers: 

• David Boyne, managing director, Bravado 

• Jeremy Orriss, director of licensing, Difuzed 

• Michelle Papayannakos, sustainability director, Paramount UK 

• Jakob Max Hamann, senior manager, business development & sustainability governance, The Lego Group 

• Anna Halford, associate principal council, The Walt Disney Company 

• Moderator: Helena Mansell-Stopher, CEO, Products of Change 

Newly announced for Thursday 26 September: 

1000-1030:  Unlocking careers in licensing: advice, and opportunities 

Speakers: 

• Olivia Wiggett, licensing manager, Jazwares 

• Emily Farrugia, head of product development, WildBrain CPLG 

• Corinne Duckworth, commercial executive, Dreamtex 

• Moderator: Steve Manners, head of global marketing and UK managing director, Licensing International 

1200-1230: Is resilience key to navigating industry change? 

Join us at “The Day of Purpose” for a powerful session exploring the critical role of resilience in the licensing industry. 

Host: Helen Lynch, retail brand licensing consultant & coach 

Speakers: 

• Richard Pink MD at Pink Key Licensing 

• Will Stewart, founder & CEO of Point.1888 and True Purpose enterprises Ltd 

• Gabrielle Simms, director of partnerships and licensing at Sanderson Design Group plc

The remaining agenda content follows – all sessions take place in the License Global Theatre unless otherwise stated. 

Tuesday 24 September  

0945-1000: Navigating the Brand Licensing Europe Showfloor
Speakers: BLE event director Ella Haynes and Lily Drennan, BLE event manager  

1000-1045: Licensing 101  

Speaker: Steve Manners, head of global marketing and UK managing director, Licensing International 

1045-1100:  Show floor tour with members of the BLE team  

1100-1115:  State of the Nation
Speaker: Ben Roberts, License Global EMEA content director  

1130-1200: The future of retail: elevating customer experience through immersive retail
Speakers:  

• Ryan Stana, CEO, RWS Global 

• Amanda Raposo, chief experience officer, CAMP 

• Sarah Jackson, global director of license & brands, Primark 

1130-1200:  The famous BLE character parade  

Look out for the show floor tiles highlighting this year’s new route for hi-fives, selfies and cuddles.  

1230-1315:  Keynote 1: When everyone plays, we all win: next-level consumer products & licensing with Xbox with John Friend, Head of Xbox Gaming Consumer Products  

1345-1415:  How to build a lifestyle brand
Speakers:  

• Tim Smith, SVP, licensing, IMG 

• Marta Ballesteros, global licensing manager, Perfetti Van Melle Group 

• Lauren Sizeland, head of licensing & business development, V&A 

1430-1500:  A quarter of a century as a brand licensing lawyer – what I’ve learned
Speaker: John Burns, partner and head of brands, JMW Solicitors  

1600-1620: Unlock your Brand’s Potential at BLE
Speakers:  

• Matthieu Battini, EMEA Sales Director, Global Licensing Group 

• Greg McDonald, Business Development & Account Director, Global Licensing Group 

• Cassius Anderson, Business Development Manager, Global Licensing Group 

1700-1900: Brand Licensing Europe’s 25th Birthday Party: Location: BLE Birthday Bar and BLE x One Piece Bar 2024 

Wednesday 25 September  

0930-1000:  The Trends to Watch in 2025
Speaker: Elizabeth Foster, VP of content & communications, Licensing International 

1015-1045: Licensing 101
Speaker: Susan Bolsover, MD and founder, Lightbulb Licensing 

1100-1130: Innovating fashion: the future of adaptive clothing in licensing
Speakers:  

• Karen Hewitt, Chief of Retail & Licensing, Character.com 

• Emma Wilkins, Brand Manager, Character.com 

• Elizabeth Layte, Buying Manager, Character.com 

1130-1200: The famous BLE character parade returns for the second day – follow our favourites as they wind their way through the show.

1230-1315:  Keynote 2 – crafty licensing: transforming a business through brand licensing
Speaker: Sara Davis, Founder/Director, Crafters Companion 

The following two events are for retail badge holders only and take place in the Retail Lounge E141. 

• 1500-1600: Retail Mentoring Programme 2025 drop in session  

• 1600-1700: Retail Happy Hour partnership with Care Bears  

Thursday 26 September 

1100-1130: What makes a sustainable and ethical brand in 2024? 

Speaker: William Sankey, Director of The GOOD Shopping Guide. 

It’s free to visit Brand Licensing Europe – simply register on the website and get access to the online Event Planner and start planning your itinerary.  

About Brand Licensing Europe 
Launched in 1998, Brand Licensing Europe is the only pan-European annual event dedicated to licensing and brand extension. The London event features over 2,500 brands and more than 7,500 licensees, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and licensing agents. Brand Licensing Europe is a part of the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, the licensing industry’s leading trade show organiser and media partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world by bringing brands and products together.   

About License Global 
License Global, a part of the Global Licensing Group, is the leading publication for the brand licensing industry, delivering award-winning editorial content, including news, trends, analysis and special reports about the global consumer product and retail marketplace. Through its magazine, website, daily e-newsletter, webinars, videos and event publications, License Global reaches more than 150,000 executives and professionals in all major markets. The magazine also serves as the official publication for the sector’s trade events, which include Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Expo Shanghai and the Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit.  

About Global Licensing Group 
The Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets is the licensing industry’s leading tradeshow organizer and media partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world by bringing brands and products together. The following events and information products are produced for the licensing industry by the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets: Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Expo Shanghai, Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit License Global magazine, licenseglobal.com and License Global Daily E-News. Global Licensing Group events are sponsored by Licensing International.     

About Licensing International       
Licensing International is the leading trade organisation for the $350+ billion global brand licensing industry. Licensing International’s mission is to foster the growth and expansion of brand licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. Founded in 1985, more than 1,500 Licensing International member companies in over 40 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits, including extensive educational programming and worldwide networking events. Visit www.LicensingInternational.org for more information.