McCain Foods CEO Dirk van de Put elected to board of Directors of Mattel

Mattel, Inc. [NASDAQ:MAT] today announced the election of Dirk Van de Put, president and chief executive officer of McCain Foods Limited, to the Mattel Board of Directors, effective as of December 1, 2011. This election will increase the number of Mattel Board members from 11 to 12.

"Dirk's extensive leadership experience in diverse, global businesses, coupled with his in-depth knowledge of the consumer packaged goods industry, including global retail and operations, can only enhance and add value to the Board's global business perspective,"said Robert A. Eckert, chairman and chief executive officer of Mattel. "We look forward to welcoming him to our team."

Mr. Van de Put is an established business leader with significant global experience and more than 20 years in the food and consumer packaged goods industry. Appointed president and chief executive officer of McCain Foods Limited in July 2011, Mr. Van de Put also served as chief operating officer and was responsible for overseeing the company's integrated global supply chain. Prior to joining McCain, Mr. Van de Put served as chief executive officer of Novartis AG, a $3 billion global over-the-counter consumer health business. Mr. Van de Put's background also includes various senior executive positions, including president of the Americas division at Groupe Danone, president of the Caribbean division of the Coca-Cola Company and more than a decade of leadership positions with Mars, Inc., one of the world's leading food manufacturers.

Mr. Van de Put is fluent in a variety of languages, including English, Dutch, French, Spanish, Portuguese and German. He also holds a degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Ghent and an M.B.A. from the University of Antwerp. Source: Mattel