With less than a month until Christmas, retail activity is ramping up for members, which is fantastic news. Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are expected to be highly successful, with families eager to snag bargains ahead of the festive season.
The ATA office has been buzzing with activity following our move to new premises at the end of October and the successful hosting of our Annual General Meeting on November 13th. Members attended both in person and online as we reviewed the end-of-year financials and highlighted ATA’s achievements over the past year.
During the AGM, elections were held, resulting in Chris Maggacis being re-elected, joined by two new Directors: Ajit Jacob of VTech Electronics Australia and Rosanna Cilmi of Just Play. Tim Clarke announced the retirement of Jeff Keighran (Bensons Trading) and Jonathan Zimbler (Zimbler), thanking them for their invaluable contributions, particularly Jonathan’s remarkable 21 years of service. Tim then concluded his presidency, handing the baton to Jacqui Webster of Spin Master, who becomes ATA’s first female President.
The final board meeting of the year followed the AGM, where it was confirmed that Anni Atkinson (Warner Bros) and Tim Nolan (Mattel) will continue as Directors for another term, and Troy Taylor (LEGO) will fill the remaining board position. We’re thrilled to have such a strong and committed team driving the industry forward.
Preparations are well underway for our annual Toy Fair, scheduled from March 2nd to 5th, 2025. With nearly 90% of stands already sold, a few spots remain for those looking to showcase their products to buyers from across Australia.
The ATA Awards are now open to all participating exhibitors, featuring categories such as Product of the Year, Environmental & Sustainability, Kids’ Choice, and Judges’ Choice. Licensing partners can also submit entries for the Licensing Awards.
For details, deadlines, and criteria, visit our awards page here.
This month, we also launched our new Mentor/Mentee Program, open to ATA members. Applications close on December 20th. The program pairs members with experienced mentors who provide valuable insights, guidance, and support to help mentees achieve their professional goals.
Whether you’re new to the industry or ready to take the next step, this program is a fantastic opportunity to grow and learn.
Lastly, the ATA office will close for the Christmas break at 12pm on Thursday, December 19th, and reopen on January 2nd. On behalf of the ATA Board and Staff, we wish you a successful Christmas buying season and a happy, safe New Year.
Thank you for your support throughout 2024, and we look forward to working together in 2025. If you need to reach us, feel free to email us at admin[@]austoy.com.au.
This article originally appeared in Edition 13 of The Toy Universe Magazine
