Ben Armstrong joins to help the company reach its target of £70m turnover in the coming two years
The board of Sambro Ltd is pleased to announce the appointment of Ben Armstrong as Chief Financial Officer.
Ben joins Sambro with over 20 years’ experience in finance, alongside a proven track record of success in implementing strategic developments within the FMCG and retail industries.
With a background in private-equity and other investor backed businesses, Ben has extensive international experience, with strong technical and commercial skills across FMCG and retail brands, including EV Cargo and KidKraft Toys & Furniture.
A Chartered Accountant and an MBA holder, Ben brings a wealth of experience in maintaining strong cash margins, working capital management, alongside a proven record in supporting commercial strategy development.
At Sambro, Ben will work alongside Paul Blackaby (CEO) to drive forward the firm’s impressive growth plans which include a projected £70m turnover by 2023.
Ben said: “Sambro is an outstanding company with a strong portfolio of toy brands and own brand products and I’m excited to join the organisation at this significant time in its ongoing growth. I look forward to working with Paul and the leadership team at Sambro to drive growth and ensure its continued success”.
As a leading global supplier for licenced, as well as own-brand toys, Sambro works with multiple properties and licensors, who trust and liaise closely with Sambro to develop licensed toy ranges. These brands include: Disney, Paramount, Mattel, Hasbro, Cosatto®, plus licensing agencies such as Bulldog Licensing.
The range of products under these brands is far-reaching and includes household names such as: Barbie, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Disney Princess, and Care Bears™. With innovative products such as Puzzle Palz™, Felties™, plus others, Sambro’s innovative products span the categories of: Soft Toys, Creative Play, Novelties, Stationery and Outdoor. In 2022, Sambro will distribute over 8m units of character plush toys.
Paul Blackaby, CEO at Sambro, said: “Ben is a world-class CFO with a proven track record of driving operational performance and growth across global consumer-facing organisations. His leadership and financial expertise will benefit Sambro as we continue to grow, and I look forward to working with him as we embark on the next stage of our journey.”
