Condé Nast chief Roger Lynch named Mattel CEO as Ynon Kreiz steps down

Leadership handover at Mattel

Mattel announced on Wednesday that Condé Nast chief executive Roger Lynch will become its next chief executive officer, succeeding Ynon Kreiz. Under the transition plan, Lynch becomes chairman of Mattel on 2 October 2026 and formally takes over as chief executive on or before 2 November 2026. Lynch has served on Mattel's board of directors since 2018. Kreiz will step down from his executive roles on 2 October 2026 after eight years leading the toy manufacturer. Mattel board member Judy Olian led the succession planning process.

Olian praised Lynch's background across media and technology companies.

Roger is a visionary leader with a track record of growing global companies at the forefront of changing industry and consumer trends.

Executive track record at Condé Nast

Lynch is stepping down from Condé Nast after leading the media publisher of Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ, and The New Yorker since 2019. During his tenure, Lynch steered the company through advertising contractions, declines in print circulation, and operational disruptions during the pandemic. In an internal memo, Lynch reported that Condé Nast expanded its event revenue ninefold since 2020 and grew digital subscription revenue by 155 percent. Lynch will retain his seat on the Condé Nast board of directors. The publisher named lead independent board member Mike Perlis, a former head of Forbes and Ziff Davis, as interim chief executive while it conducts an executive search.

In his memo to employees, Lynch addressed the transformation of the publishing house.

There is no doubt that we transformed Condé Nast for a new era. We brought our global businesses together, built a unified company, and strengthened our journalism and creative work.

Kreiz's entertainment strategy

Kreiz joined Mattel as chief executive in 2018, navigating supply chain challenges tied to the pandemic and United States tariffs. During his eight-year tenure, Kreiz transitioned Mattel from a traditional toymaker into an intellectual-property-driven entertainment enterprise. The strategy yielded the 2023 feature film Barbie, which generated $1.4 billion at the global box office and earned multiple Academy Award nominations. Mattel is currently developing a Hot Wheels feature film with director Jon M. Chu, though development of a Barbie sequel has stalled over production budgets. Prior to joining Mattel, Kreiz served as chief executive of Maker Studios, leading its sale to Disney, and held leadership roles at Endemol Group and Fox Kids Europe.

Industry speculation surrounding Kreiz

Mattel stated that Kreiz is leaving to take a senior executive role at another public company. Industry reports link Kreiz to David Ellison's combined Paramount-Warner Bros entity, where Ellison is building an executive management team following Skydance's transaction. Any formal appointment at the combined studio remains subject to regulatory signoff, as Judge Martínez-Olguín must approve a settlement with state attorneys general before the merger officially closes. The combined media business previously saw the departure of president Jeff Shell following a settled whistleblower lawsuit, as well as the exit of Paramount streaming head Cindy Holland.