BLE 2025 to host fireside chat with Vince Klaseus, President of Universal Products & Experiences

Next month’s Brand Licensing Europe show will host a fireside chat with Vince Klaseus, President of Universal Products & Experiences.

The session – NBCUniversal: Building the Fandom Flywheel – will take place on Tuesday, October 7th at 11:30am in the License Global Theatre. It promises to pull back the curtain on how the studio’s ‘symphony’ approach unites consumer products, retail partnerships and location based experiences.

“We are thrilled Vince Klaseus is speaking at BLE this autumn – this is a rare opportunity for retailers, manufacturers and other brand owners to get behind the scenes on how leading licensor NBCUniversal thinks about its products and experiences to reach fans where they live, play and shop,” said BLE event director Ella Haynes.

Six additional sessions have been announced for the 2025 programme:

1. From passion to profession: navigating career paths in an ever-evolving industry landscape.

Three brand licensing industry experts will share their career journeys, valuable lessons and professional advice.

• Jen Maude-Roxby, head of licensing & business development, V&A
• Carter Brown, CP product development specialist, Hasbro
• Will Stewart, founder & CEO, True Purpose Enterprises

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2. Licensing meets Amazon: How licensees and licensors can maximise brand value online

Delivered by Venture Forge CEO Andrew Banks, this session will help brand owners, licensees and licensors turn licensing agreements into high-performing Amazon strategies to protect IP, grow sales and strengthen partnerships.

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3. Licensing agents 101: What they do and why they matter

This session will teach attendees what agents do and how to find the right one with the following panelists confirmed:

• Andrew Hodgson, managing director of Europe, LMCA
• Claire Potter, managing director, Metrostar
• Gemma Witts, managing director, Europe, Retail Monster

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4. IP & licensing – a crash course
This dynamic session – led by JMW Solicitors partners John Burns and John Buckby – will look at what IP is, how to protect it and what to watch out for in licensing agreements, leaving visitors equipped to maximise their brand’s potential through licensing.

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5. Brand development through storytelling
This session looks at how we can build awareness for properties through stories. Whether audiovisual and gaming or books and immersive experiences, storytelling is becoming increasingly essential for a brand to succeed.

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6. Hong Kong Arts Centre: Where IP & arts come to life
Hong Kong Arts Centre is Asia’s creative arts gateway, bridging East and West. It nurtures over 30 original IPs, from comics to multimedia – through exhibitions, publishing and licensing. With world-class facilities and government support, HKAC connects artists, licensors, and collectors, turning local stories into global cultural assets.

All announced sessions can be found online.

BLE 2025 takes place from October 7th to 9th at Excel London. Register for free visitor passes here.