The Pokémon Company International’s Mathieu Galante on the rise and rise of the iconic brand

Mathieu Galante, thanks for making time! You’re the Licensing Director EMEA at The Pokémon Company International. How did you come to be in the role? What’s your background?
On getting my Masters in Marketing from the Paris Sorbonne, I started my career in media and entertainment, working for various French companies before joining the Warner Bros. Consumer Products team in Paris. After taking a full-time MBA at Manchester Business School, I realised that it actually is possible to eat well in the UK and moved here in 2013 to work for a brand-new digital entertainment and video-sharing mobile app where I managed the media licensing strategy for the UK and France…

A year later, I joined The Pokémon Company International in London to set up the licensing operations for the EMEA region… Initially, that was as Senior Market Development Manager EMEA – and since 2018 I’ve been Licensing Director EMEA.

Amazing. You’ll have to tell me what you’ve been eating! Now, in 2026, Pokémon reaches its 30th anniversary… Why do you think it remains so phenomenally popular?
Pokémon is a multi-generational, evergreen brand with an enormous and loyal global fanbase. It’s very inclusive, with a philosophy that remains relevant and aspirational: promoting the power of friendship, the importance of working hard, never giving up and the thrill of exploration… Its characters are adorable and playful, the imagery is colourful and stylish, and it’s full of adventure and fun.

With its varied key pillars – video games and apps, TCG, animation, consumer products, Play! Pokémon events – there’s something that appeals to everyone. Because it stays true to its original ethos, it retains the loyalty of its original fans, while the innovation and adaptability that keeps it fresh and relevant makes it appealing to whole new generations. With a continuous pipeline of exciting new content, alongside immersive and memorable experiences for fans, Pokémon remains vibrant, relevant and at the forefront of entertainment.

In what ways has the brand expanded over the last year or so?
The enormous impetus from our 25th anniversary celebrations shows no signs of abating! From a host of new releases from our existing partners to fresh collaborations with intriguing new ones, there’s ever more out there for fans to discover and enjoy. For example, last April we unveiled monpoké, a delightful expression from the Pokémon brand featuring curated, Pokémon-branded baby and toddler offerings.

Activity continues to grow in newer areas such as our ever-expanding collection of apps and our music collaborations – Jax Jones and Ed Sheeran being notable recent examples. We continue to utilise the latest tech developments to offer immersive experiences for fans and to create more ways for them to interact, such as our Pokémon Sleep app. We’re constantly seeking partnerships to connect with our audience in new and diverse ways, such as our ongoing sporting connection with the English Schools FA, with whom we run the Primary School Cup, and cultural events like our recent partnership with the Van Gogh Museum.

I’ll be sure to include some pictures of this stuff, Mathieu, because it’s so wide ranging…
Thank you! In addition, we’re creating more special events and activations in-store, including more pop-up stores. The new animation, Pokémon Horizons – which launches its second season on the BBC in January – brought a fresh buzz to the animations, which can now be seen in 177 countries…

All of this has led to dynamic media interest and social media activity, from influencers and celebrity fans as well as our own platforms, keeping our profile sky-high. Reflecting this, sales continue to soar.

Amazing. Let me ask you this: how do you and your team keep the brand fresh?
Rather than expand our list of licensees, we look for innovative ways to create stand-out moments. These can include fashion collaborations, retail promotions – especially for FMCG – in-store activations such as our take-overs in Rinascente, Harrods, Galeries Lafayette, El Corte Inglés and KaDeWE. There are also unexpected partnerships with Mini – the BMW Group – and Baccarat; cultural events such as our link-up with the Van Gogh Museum, and associated in-game activity too.

And on that… Some more of Pokémon’s recent collaborations include Bonpoint, Skinnydip and Clarks. What makes them ideal partners for you?
Pokémon is constantly looking to innovate and connect with its audience in new and diverse ways. Fashion allows us to offer a wide variety of quality products across all budgets and styles to bring fans young and old closer to the brand, while also attracting new ones. Pokémon’s broad global appeal offers opportunities across the whole fashion industry – and the iconic brand provides endless inspiration for designers, many of whom are Pokémon fans themselves.

A good collaboration needs to be true to Pokémon’s values and truly understand our incredible audience. We’re very protective of our brand, and we do everything possible to ensure that our products resonate with our fans, while always striving to continue to surprise and delight them – for example, you wouldn’t immediately associate Clarks or Skinnydip, say, with Pokémon.
We’re constantly looking for brands that can connect with our fans of all ages and demographics, because Pokémon isn’t just for kids… So our collections span both adult and kids’ footwear, apparel and accessories.

Is there anything that unites them all?
Each of our collaborations is considered for creative and design capabilities and their distribution reach. We look for high-calibre partners keen to explore innovative ideas. As well as those you mention, we’ve had successful collaborations with a diverse range of partners including Adidas, A.P.C, Axel Arigato, Balmain, Bobby Abley, Charli Cohen, Converse, Eastpak, Fendi, Jeremy Scott, Iceberg, Irregular Choice, Longchamp and Puma.

Each collaboration is carefully tailored to what the fans want, so some will be very bold with prominent and colourful imagery, while others will be more subtle yet still evoking the spirit of Pokémon.

Great stuff. I’m sure it differs from project to project, but what – broadly speaking – is the creative process when licensing Pokémon?
We’re looking for brands that share our bold and adventurous outlook on life, and who offer quality, wearability and sustainability while demonstrating creativity, fun and innovation. We’re both approached and we approach others, but it’s crucial to consider how Pokémon fits with the brand, and how they appear on products…

We look for creativity: for us, a design is just right when they interpret designs and Pokémon in a new way that adds rather than detracts to the look and feel of the brand. When our fans express their love for the collaboration and they sell out quickly, then we know we’ve got it right! But having a great collection isn’t enough – we’re always searching for new ways to shout about it, meaning that standout marketing support at retail and beyond is important too. We love creating buzz and excitement, so we need all our collaborations to tell a story that speaks to our fans and keeps them engaged and enthused.

And how important is it, Mathieu, to promote and celebrate creativity in licensing?
Essential. Our fans are discerning and love the brand. We need to honour this by providing them with innovative and creative products and collaborations that continue to surprise them, while remaining true to the brand.

Great stuff. What’s next for Pokémon?
We’re looking forward to another action-packed year in 2025. This year sees the eagerly awaited release of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, an ambitious new entry to the Pokémon video game series launching exclusively on Nintendo Switch. It features an exciting new adventure within Lumiose City, where an urban redevelopment plan is underway to shape the city into a place that belongs to both people and Pokémon.

We’re also planning more imaginative collaborations, and embracing new technologies to create exceptional and memorable experiences for fans. It’s shaping up to be another exciting year! Looking further ahead, we were delighted by the reaction to the news that The Pokémon Company International and multi-award-winning independent studio Aardman are collaborating on a special project for 2027. The collaboration will see Aardman bringing their unique style of storytelling to the Pokémon universe in brand-new adventures.

Fantastic stuff. And to wrap this up, tell me, what’s the one question I could’ve asked you today but didn’t?
Who is your favourite Pokémon?

That would be interesting… What’s the answer?
That’s a bit like asking a parent to choose their favourite child!

Ha! Then I’m glad I didn’t ask! Thanks, Mathieu.