Netflix Woos Mattel Veteran Roberto Stanichi To Lead Consumer Products and Experiences

Netflix has hired Roberto Stanichi, a nearly 20-year veteran of Mattel, as VP of Consumer Products and Experiences as the streaming giant looks to boost its off-screen presence.

Mattel just announced the exec’s exit as part of its third-quarter earnings report, noting that it has promoted Steve Totzke to the role of President and Chief Operating Officer. The toy maker, which has explored Hollywood in recent years with Barbie and other projects, is going through a leadership transition period. Former CEO Ynon Kreiz departed several weeks ago to become Co-CEO of Skydance, with board member and tech and media vet Roger Lynch being elevated to the chief exec role.

At Mattel, Stanichi most recently held the title of President and Chief Marketing and Brand Officer. At Netflix, he will oversee Netflix’s global consumer products licensing and retail business, along with global experiences, including Netflix House. He will report to CMO Marian Lee.

“Roberto has spent his career turning iconic characters and stories into global brands that resonate across generations,” Lee said. “As we continue to build on the incredible fandom around Netflix’s stories and characters, his experience will be invaluable in shaping how those connections extend beyond the screen and into fans’ everyday lives.”

In his two-decade run at Mattel, Stanichi led the company’s global brand organization across Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, and American Girl. He managed a number of entertainment titles as they made a strong showing in consumer products. Stanichi also expanded the adult fan base across multiple brands, and teamed with Disney to establish Disney Pixar Cars as an evergreen brand. Additionally, he also played a key role in the industry-first, co-master toy partnership between Mattel and Hasbro for Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters.

Compared with media rivals like Disney, Comcast and Skydance, Netflix’s consumer products business is in an early phase of development, but it has been ramping up around major tentpoles in recent years. Stranger Things provided the initial foundation for the consumer products effort, with a line of Funko Pop figures accompanying the show’s first season. By the fifth and final season in 2025, the series anchored the company’s largest global licensing program to date.

Bridgerton and Kpop also drove considerable interest across consumer products, with the sequel to the latter due to get an amplified push due to a full theatrical release. The first film screened in movie theaters months after being embraced by streaming audiences.

On the experiences front, Netflix has launched more than 50 separate formats bridging film and TV titles and the real world. The company says it has reached 15 million fans across 490 openings in more than 300 citiesa round the world.

fall 2025, Netflix launched Netflix House – a first-of-its-kind, permanent yet ever-changing entertainment venue where fans can explore, play, eat and shop their way through favorite Netflix stories. Netflix House is free to explore and features a variety of complimentary and paid activities, games and immersive experiences, as well as a restaurant, a shop, photo ops and more. Like the shows and movies on Netflix, Netflix House updates regularly based on what’s popular on screen, so there’s always something new to discover. Netflix House is open in Philadelphia at King of Prussia and at Galleria Dallas in Texas; a third location will open on the Las Vegas Strip in 2027.

“Few companies in the world understand the emotional power of storytelling and fandom like Netflix,” Stanichi said in a statement. “It is an incredible privilege to join Marian and this extraordinary team to help expand that fandom into physical worlds, products, and experiences. Netflix’s culture of bold innovation and creative ambition is legendary, and I’m excited to dive in to create impactful touchpoints that bring our fans closer to the stories they love.”