The global licensing community is powered by an incredible group of professionals whose diverse backgrounds and creative energy drive innovation and excellence. Each week we’re profiling one of these professionals in this ongoing series developed in partnership with MyMediaBox.

Who are you?
Dean Allen, CCO/CMO Mad Engine Global. 20 years working in licensing on the retail and wholesale side of the business.

How did you get into licensing (or how did licensing find YOU😊)?
While working for Walmart Corporate I was asked to move divisions, from the grocery to apparel and that lead to me becoming a buyer in kids apparel where I helped build kids licensed apparel and accessories. Licensing has been part of my career since that move, and it will be until I retire.

What’s a “typical” day in your current position?
Zoom, zoom, and more zooms! I spend time with my team and our customers helping any way I can to drive our collective businesses. Sales, Design and Licensing all roll up to me, so I am always doing my best to make sure all of us are heading in the same direction and servicing our customers the best we can.

What’s your biggest personal and professional accomplishment?
Adopting our children is the best thing that has happened to my wife and I. We have two handsome boys 6 and 8 that move at the speed of light and never slow down.
Being made partner at Mad Engine in 2017 which was a family-owned business has been the highlight of my career. I have two partners in this business that might be as crazy as my kids, but they have always supported me and pushed me to be better each day.

What are the most significant trends or changes that you’ve seen in the business in recent years?
You must be everywhere the customer is and where they plan to go in the future. This has evolved more in the last 15 years then any other time in retail history. In store, online, social media, and now maybe the metaverse.

What keeps you up at night? What’s your biggest challenge these days?
The amount of content being produced today creates many challenges for CPG companies in competitive categories. You never want to miss the next big property and in today’s environment it can be extremely difficult to vet through everything available to consumers.

In your opinion, what is the top skill every licensing executive should have in order to succeed?
Surround yourself with people that are different than you and challenge you to think differently.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? OR What is your favorite quote?
“High expectations are the key to everything.” – Sam Walton.

What is your favorite licensing deal of all time? (doesn’t have to be one that was signed by you)
“Angry Pigs.” It was only available on Blackberry phones😊. Ok, that might have been the worst one, but it still makes me laugh. I am proud of every deal we get done! When someone trust you with their IP it says a lot for what you and your team have built.

If you weren’t in licensing, what would you be doing now?
I planned to be a teacher like my sister. I suppose I would be teaching and coaching somewhere in Maine right now.

THE 2021 PEOPLE PROFILE SERIES IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY MYMEDIABOX

MyMediaBox is the leader in providing online solutions that streamline every stage in the brand licensing lifecycle, from contract management and rights tracking, through style guide delivery, product approvals, security tag management and royalty reporting. With over 54,000 global professionals logging in from 125+ countries, Mediabox is by far the world’s most thoroughly tested and widely trusted licensing software.