Penguin Ventures appoints Smith for UK softlines business

Penguin Ventures, the licensing team at Penguin Random House Children’s, has appointed Zoe Smith as senior category manager for UK softlines.

Smith will report to commercial director David Sprei and will be responsible for the softlines business across the Ventures portfolio of literary children’s brands, including The World of Peter Rabbit, The World of The Snowman, Flower Fairies and Spot.

Sprei said: “Zoe has a wealth of experience and is a softlines specialist, respected by peers and licensees and knows the UK preschool market incredibly well. Across her previous licensing and retail roles, Zoe has developed a phenomenal grasp of the category and joins Ventures to drive further growth across new and existing partners for such an important area of the business.”

Smith added: “I am thrilled to be joining the team at Penguin Ventures and to be working on such beloved, timeless brands. I have huge affection for these brands both professionally and personally, and I cannot wait to work with the amazing licensing partners, drawing on my previous experience, to further expand the already well-established business in the UK.”

Smith joins on 1st August and can be reached via ZSmith@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk.