French animation studio Xilam has appointed former Studio 100 and Nelvana licensing exec Marie-Laure Marchand as EVP of global consumer products.

Reporting directly to president and founder Marc du Pontavice, Marchand will help develop strategies that benefit the company’s global consumer products expansion.

Marchand comes to Xilam from her most recent position as global licensing director for food retail promotion specialist Brand Loyalty. And she was instrumental in the international licensing success of children’s IP Maya the Bee as Studio 100’s international licensing director before that.

Marchand began her career in kids entertainment at Canada-based Nelvana, where she served more than nine years as head of the company’s consumer products division, managing hit brands including Babar, Franklin and Beyblade.

Her latest appointment comes on the heels of Xilam’s new studio launch in Lyon, which is expected to help the company behind Oggy and the Cockroaches and Magic double its production capacity and create 80 new jobs. Xilam’s other production facilities are located in Paris and Hô-Chi-Minh City.