The veteran exec arrives at Fanatics’ trading cards and collectibles division following a stint as CMO and Executive VP at Red Bull North America.
On Thursday, Fanatics Collectibles announced Ken Turner as its first Chief Marketing Officer, a position he previously held at Red Bull North America, where he additionally served as Executive Vice President.
The CMO role at Fanatics’ trading cards and collectibles division was created specifically for Turner, who will run point on marketing strategy and creative storytelling efforts with leagues, athletes, and content creators under Fanatics Collectibles CEO Mike Mahan.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join Fanatics Collectibles during a time of incredible growth and opportunity in the collectibles category,” Turner said. “Our business sits at the intersection of sports and culture, with an enormous amount of passion from the collecting community. The combination of those factors opens abundant possibilities to not only enhance the collector experience today, but to grow the category overall, bring in new audiences and build cultural relevance through unique experiences that we’re perfectly positioned to deliver to fans.”
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Turner, who spent a decade at SC Johnson before arriving at Red Bull, was recently recognized by Savoy Magazine as one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America for 2022.
The news comes on the heels of Fanatics Collectibles announcing Omar Wilkes as its Head of Athlete Relations. A veteran sports agent, Wilkes arrives at the company after serving as the Head of Basketball at KLUTCH Sports Group, where he represented standout NBA players like Hawks All-Star Trae Young and Timberwolves phenom Anthony Edwards.
As Fanatics Collectibles CEO Mike Mahan said on the occasion:
“As our collectibles business continues to see enormous opportunities for growth, I’ve been focused on building out a world-class team to execute our vision for delivering the best collector experience possible, bringing in more fans into the sector, and creating truly connective moments across culture and sports. Marketing the category is one of our highest priorities, and I couldn’t think of a better fit to lead this effort than Ken given his incredible track record and expertise that perfectly aligns with our business goals.”
