Nicktoons says:

NEW YORK — 5/23/2006 — Pokémon USA Inc. has announced the appointment of Holly Rawlinson and Nicole Piper, former Mattel and Nickelodeon execs respectively, to oversee licensing efforts for the company.

Rawlinson has been named Pokémon USA’s vice president of licensing. She will be responsible for planning, developing and implementing an annual global business plan and strategies for licensing, retail, animation, television, movies, music and promotional opportunities in the United State as well as North and South America and Europe.

Prior to joining Pokémon, Rawlinson ran Orange Grove Entertainment, a film and television production company. Before joining Orange Grove, she was vice president of entertainment and licensing for Mattel where she oversaw licensing acquisitions for all of the toymaker’s brands, as well as handled movie and television programming and tie-ins.

Nicole Piper has been appointed senior director of licensing. She will oversee licensing business strategies to identify, develop, negotiate and close licensing and promotional opportunities domestically and internationally as well as manage Pokémon’s present portfolio.

Piper spent the past 11 years at MTV Networks International where she led the launch of Nickelodeon’s licensing initiatives outside the US.