By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
Tonies, the interactive audio platform for children, has named Mark McColgan (pictured at right) as its new General Manager for North America.
The long-time toy industry executive will be tasked with accelerating retail expansion, deepening consumer engagement and scaling licensing partnerships across the company’s largest and fastest-growing market.
McColgan reports to Christoph Frehsee, who built tonies’ North American business from the ground up beginning in 2020, growing it into a more than $300 million net revenue operation. In July 2025, Frehsee moved into the role of Chief Revenue Officer on tonies’ Management Board, where he now oversees global commercial strategy and international expansion.
“Mark is a dynamic leader with a proven track record of creating affinity for beloved brands,” Frehsee said. “As we continue to deepen our footprint in North America, Mark’s expertise and deep understanding of the market will be instrumental in continuing our high-growth momentum, making the U.S. and Canada a key driver for tonies’ global growth.
“I look forward to working with Mark as we scale established and new partnerships in North America and realize our full potential in tonies’ most important growth market.”
The appointment carries particular weight in the North American licensing industry. Tonies has become a major player in the licensing industry, drawing on licensed content from roughly 460 partners including Disney, Warner Bros., NBCUniversal, Mattel, Marvel, Paramount, Hasbro, Universal and Sony Music. Since its founding in Germany in 2014, the company has activated more than 11.8 million Tonieboxes and sold more than 156 million Tonies figurines worldwide. Its content ecosystem spans approximately 1,500 tonies figurines and more than 3,500 digital titles.
McColgan brings to the job more than two decades of leadership in the toy and consumer products industries, including a recent stint as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mattel US, where he led strategy, sales and commercial growth. His resume includes contributions to some of the industry’s most valuable licensed properties, among them Mattel’s Hot Wheels, Barbie and Fisher-Price, Disney’s Cars, and Universal’s Wicked. He began his career as a store manager and buyer before advancing to senior brand roles across the U.S. and U.K.
“With its unique audio-first approach, tonies has created a category of its own, scaled it, and continues to lead and redefine it,” McColgan said. “tonies’ focus on creating moments that really matter has earned the trust and love of families around the world and inspired me to join.
“Tonieboxes bring together freedom for engaging play with parents’ desire for a safe space that inspires growth,” McColgan added. “Building on strong momentum, there is massive, untapped potential in North America, and I’m thrilled to be joining the team to bring the tonies’ unique experience to even more families across the country.”
The promotion of Frehsee to the management board and McColgan’s appointment signal a broader organizational push to treat North America as a flagship market for the brand’s global ambitions.
“North America is key to our global growth strategy. We have big ambitions, and we are delighted to have Mark join us to lead the next phase of scaling this important market,” says Tobias Wann, CEO of tonies. “With his appointment and Christoph Frehsee fully moving into his CRO role, we are elevating our leadership to pursue our ambition of becoming a truly global icon—a brand trusted by families everywhere, with an ecosystem that grows along with kids as they get older.”