Simon Hedge to leave Managing Director role at GP Flair by end of July

Simon Hedge is stepping down from his role as managing director of GP Flair, having announced his intention to leave the company at the end of this month.

Hedge has been part of the toy industry for more than 30 years and was a founding member of the former Flair Leisure Products when it was established in 1995. Having taken the company through its acquisition by Giochi Preziosi in 2008, he took on the position of managing director of the group’s UK operations in 2013.

“I feel the time is right to start a new chapter in both my career and family life,” said Hedge. “My time with Flair has been tremendous and we have seen both highs and lows during the past 25 years; from a pre-Christmas warehouse fire right through to distributing some of the UK’s most exciting toy brands.

“To start a company from literally nothing alongside friends and colleagues such as Peter Brown and Nicola Bergot, I feel myself very lucky for the time I have had with Flair and all that has been achieved.”

Hedge will leave the company at the end of July, while a new UK Country Manager for the GP Group has already been appointed and will be announced shortly.