As Executive Vice President, Global Chief Merchandising Officer, Toys“R”Us, Inc., Richard Barry is responsible for delivering a coordinated strategic approach to all merchandising decisions for the company’s business worldwide. He provides leadership as the Chair of the company’s Global Commercial Committee, which takes a unified view in working with business partners to develop key merchandising and licensing partnerships, and in identifying product trends and innovation to advance its authority position. He also leads the “R”Us Brands team, which includes product development, brand management and the company’s China Sourcing Office.

In the U.S., Mr. Barry is responsible for all toy merchandising and store planning initiatives for the more than 860 Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us locations nationwide. In this capacity, he leads a team of merchants in discovering new product categories and hot items to drive strategic merchandising programs.

During his 30-year tenure at Toys“R”Us, which spans roles across the U.S. and the U.K., he has accumulated broad experience in all aspects of sales, operations and merchandising, through positions of increasing seniority. Mr. Barry joined Toys“R”Us, Inc. in 1985 as a part-time employee in the U.K., and in 2004, he was promoted to Merchandising Director for Toys“R”Us, International, where he managed buying decisions for categories including Video Games, Electronics, Learning and Sports.

The following year, Mr. Barry was appointed Vice President, Divisional Merchandising Manager for the Learning, Electronics and Entertainment businesses for the company’s U.S. toy stores. In 2010, he was named Vice President, General Merchandising Manager, Toys“R”Us, U.S., overseeing the Learning, Electronics and Entertainment product categories. Mr. Barry was promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer, Toys“R”Us, U.S., in February 2012, and was subsequently named to his current position in October of the same year.

Mr. Barry serves on the Board of the Entertainment Merchants Association. In addition, he was elected to the Board of Directors for the Toy Industry Association in February 2013, the Toy Industry Foundation in February 2014 and the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association in June 2015.

A native of the United Kingdom, he currently resides in Sparta, NJ with his wife and three children.

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