On Dec. 31, after a successful three-year tenure, Alex Thorne will call it quits at Toys "R" Us. But he won’t be cashing in his 401K to buy a condo in Boca; he’ll be trying out for a starring role in his school play.
That’s because Thorne has aged out of the position of "chief play officer" at the Canadian division of the company that was purchased for USD6.6 billion as part of an LBO in 2005.
Now, it’s time for the 13-year-old to "retire" and hand over the reins to the coolest job on the planet. He’s a secret weapon for Toys "R" Us when it comes to identifying the season’s hottest toys. Thorne has played with hundreds of toys in his career, each with a different target audience, from toddler to preteen.
(Source: CNBC)