Seasoned licensing executive Koichi Yamamoto joins from Paramount Global as Commercial Director in Tokyo to spearhead growth and build partnerships in key market

Tokyo & London – 11 August 2026 – WildBrain CPLG, a trusted licensing partner for leading brands worldwide, is furthering its expansion across Asia-Pacific (APAC) with the opening of its first-ever office in Japan. The new office in Tokyo marks a significant milestone in the agency’s ongoing, long-term growth strategy in APAC.

As part of this strategic move, seasoned licensing executive Koichi Yamamoto has joined the business as Commercial Director, Japan, bringing decades of market expertise and a proven track record across retail, entertainment and FMCG. Yamamoto joins from Paramount Global Japan K.K., where he served as Head of Consumer Products for more than four years, and brings further experience from Hasbro, Mattel and United Media.

The Tokyo office will serve as a key hub for WildBrain CPLG’s growth in Japan—one of the world’s most dynamic and competitive licensing markets—with a focus on driving long-term partner value. The expansion builds on WildBrain CPLG’s growing momentum in APAC, reflecting increasing traction for WildBrain’s owned franchises, Teletubbies and Strawberry Shortcake, as well as new growth opportunities for partners such as Supercell, the Van Gogh Museum, Miraculous Corp and Dr. Seuss Enterprises. WildBrain CPLG will continue to work closely with its longstanding sub-agent in the market for Teletubbies, Tohoku Shinsha Co., Ltd. (TFC), to further grow and support the franchise’s licensing programme across Japan.

In his new role, Yamamoto will lead operations in Japan, shaping and executing long-term commercial strategy, driving licensing and retail partnerships, building a sustainable, locally grounded business and a team of licensing specialists to unlock growth across WildBrain CPLG’s global portfolio. Yamamoto reports to Soojin Ahn, Regional Director, South Korea and Japan, WildBrain CPLG, who is spearheading the agency’s rapid expansion across these priority APAC territories, under the leadership of Marie Kopp, VP APAC.

“Japan represents a highly strategic market for WildBrain CPLG, with significant opportunities to grow our brand portfolio and deepen partnerships. Opening a dedicated office in Tokyo marks an important step in our Asia-Pacific expansion, enabling us to build a strong, locally rooted presence and deliver tailored, market-specific strategies for our partners. With Koichi and Soojin’s leadership and expertise, we are well positioned to unlock new opportunities and accelerate growth across the region.”

Maarten Weck, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, WildBrain CPLG

“Japan is one of the world’s most influential and unique licensing markets, offering exceptional opportunities for brand and retail partnerships. We are committed to building a strong local presence that combines deep market expertise with the strength of our global network. I’m delighted to welcome Koichi to the team and look forward to working closely with him and Soojin to build our presence in Japan, strengthen local partnerships and drive the next phase of growth in this exciting market.”

Marie Kopp, VP, APAC, WildBrain CPLG

“WildBrain CPLG has an outstanding portfolio of globally recognised brands and a strong track record of building meaningful partnerships. I’m pleased to join the team at such a pivotal moment and to lead the business in Japan. By combining local market insight with WildBrain CPLG’s global capabilities, we have a unique opportunity to drive impactful collaborations across multiple categories and deliver long-term value for partners.”

Koichi Yamamoto, Commercial Director, Japan, WildBrain CPLG

For more information, please contact:

Louisa Danquah

Marketing & Communications Specialist, Global Partnerships & Licensing, WildBrain louisa.danquah@wildbrain.com

About WildBrain CPLG

At WildBrain CPLG, we believe that collaboration is about clarity, openness and trust. Offering more than 50 years of expertise in building highly successful consumer products and location-based entertainment programmes, we are a trusted licensing partner for leading brands worldwide across the entertainment, sport and lifestyle sectors. WildBrain CPLG combines the strength of global reach with local expertise to achieve the very best results for partners, with more than 25 offices serving the UK, Europe, India, the Middle East, China, Asia Pacific and the US. Our passionate teams consistently challenge themselves to explore, innovate and implement fresh ideas and opportunities for partnerships, activations, creative and business processes. WildBrain CPLG is part of WildBrain Ltd., a global leader in family entertainment, offering 360° expertise across Franchise & Global Licensing, Content, and the WildBrain Network. For more information, please visit us at cplg.com.