Rob Corney is the Managing Director of Bulldog Licensing, the leading European agency representing the rights to brands ranging from Sesame Street and Care Bears through to the suite of games from Electronic Arts and the top-rating girls’ action brand Miraculous.

Starting life on a graduate scheme with ITV, the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster, Rob went on to 4kids, developing the licensing programmes behind some of the world’s most popular brands including Pokemon, Thunderbirds, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Nintendo. Realising that the world of licensing was changing, in 2007 he created Bulldog, the first licensing agency to take what he calls a ‘retail first approach’. Bringing together the various stakeholders of the licensing process through close communication with retail buyers and merchandisers, the agency aims to streamline the development of brand programmes, delivering success throughout the value chain.

The agency has built a formidable reputation for delivering some of the industry’s most successful licensing programmes from Shopkins to Magic Mixies on the entertainment side of the business through to Route 66 and Rolling Stone in the lifestyle area. Bulldog is always looking for opportunities which will make a credible difference in their respective markets and prides itself on its acquisition procedure which sees the senior management team interrogate each new potential property with 36 different questions to ensure it is truly fit for purpose prior to entering the company’s portfolio of leading brands.