Licensing Industry

Name:
Lisa Shapiro

Time spent in the licensing industry:
14 years in May. Quite a scary thought.

First job in licensing:
I worked for CPL for a couple of years.

What were your responsibilities?
I was looking after the gift category.

Current job in licensing:
MD, TLC Entertainment.

What are your responsibilities?
They are very broad. Driving the UK entertainment portfolio and, now that TLC has offices in both France and Germany, I play a more integral role in driving the entertainment business across Europe.

What is your greatest achievement so far?
Having a reputation for being direct, professional and having respect within the licensing industry.

What is the best licence you have worked on so far in your career?
That's an impossible question to answer.

What licence would you most like to have in your portfolio?
That's a tricky one. There are some great entertainment brands that we represent, as well as great entertainment brands out there. Entertainment brands tend to have life cycles and it's great to have one that you can really build and maximise over the long-term.

If you could choose your dream job in licensing, what would it be and why?
I've got it now. I'm an MD and working on amazing brands with great people, but I'm also a mother of three. This job allows me to be good at my job and a good mother. That's why I've spent 12 years at TLC.

What's the best thing about working in the licensing industry?
It's a fun, diverse, incredibly exciting industry.