Careers Stories

When **Carsten** joined the LEGO Group in 2001, he didn’t imagine that one day he would become **Chief Operating Officer (COO)**. His journey began with a simple wish for change and adventure. “I wanted to join a bigger company and explore the world” he recalls.

Explore is exactly what he did. Just three months into the role, Carsten travelled to the U.S. for a three-week assignment. It turned into a five-year adventure. Over the next 16 years, he lived and worked abroad in several countries before returning to Billund, Denmark - this time as COO.

Carsten’s career is built from many different bricks. From procurement to manufacturing, shopper marketing, and organisational capability building and across the U.S. to Hong Kong, London and the Czech Republic, each role added new skills and experiences, helping him grow and build even more possibilities.



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This year, Carsten celebrates 25 years with the LEGO Group, where he reflects on the lessons that shaped his journey.

Over Carsten’s career, he has been intentional about one thing from the beginning: remaining curious and being willing to explore new opportunities. 

This mindset has given him the courage to step outside of his comfort zone and take some risks. 

One such opportunity came when he was working in Hong Kong as Head of Supply Chain Operations where he was asked to move to the Czech Republic to become the General Manager of the LEGO® factory there. It was not the next step he had envisioned for himself.   Encouraged by his wife, he embraced the role, and it became a turning point, giving him a deeper understanding of production and leadership.

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Taking bold steps also taught Carsten the value of balance. As COO, he has grown not only professionally but personally. Known for his candid communication, he has learned that sometimes restraint can be just as powerful as action.

“I’ve learned to pick my battles. I’m constantly assessing things in my head, but I’m thoughtful about when I choose to engage,” he reflects.

His journey also revealed another kind of strength: resilience. As a self-described “feelings guy”, Carsten discovered that true resilience isn’t about suppressing emotions - it’s about expressing them in the right settings, using them to guide decisions and sharpen his impact.

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Most importantly, Carsten underscores the importance of taking career choices as family decisions – critical, he believes, in getting him to where he is today. “I’ve never said yes without talking to my family first. It’s important that your whole ecosystem around you is in full support of the decisions you are making,” he says. 

Looking ahead, Carsten’s passion for his work remains as strong as ever.

“I love my job and want to contribute for as long as I can – there’s still more to do!” he says. He envisions a future full of opportunities to learn, innovate, and help others grow, building on the awesome journey he’s been shaping for 25 years.

Check out our awesome LEGO manufacturing sites

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**Just imagine** bringing joyful learning to life.

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When Carsten joined the LEGO Group in 2001, he didn’t imagine that one day he would become Chief Operating Officer (COO). His journey began with a simple wish for change and adventure. “I wanted to join a bigger company and explore the world” he recalls.

The building blocks of a remarkable career. Meet Carsten. 👋

Trained as a lawyer, **Nikolaj Kousgaard** joined our **Legal team** in 2010. Back then, the function consisted of just 37 people across two sites: Billund in Denmark and Enfield in the United States. Today, Legal has grown to more than 130 colleagues in over 10 countries. Nikolaj has grown with it, and now he’s bringing everything he has learned into a new challenge. 
 
“I’ve had several roles within the legal department. A couple of interim leadership roles, and from 2019 the opportunity to build up a Privacy Office function. Now I have left the legal department and joined the Business Service Operations (BSO) organisation to help establish a new function for tax and legal operations. It shows that there are endless opportunities within the LEGO Group, and I have learned and grown a lot within each of the roles.” 

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Nikolaj has not only seen Legal evolve, but he has also helped shape it. Throughout his career he has stepped into areas that stretched him and created many opportunities.

“I’ve worked in areas where I didn’t know a lot beforehand, but I’ve always been surrounded by experts to learn from. I’ve had leadership exposure over many years and built a strong network. That’s helped me understand the business better and opened new doors.” 

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Based in Billund, Nikolaj is investing those years of learning into something new. His focus, a role that bridges two worlds: an established Tax Operations team and a newly created Legal Operations function designed to help teams spend less time navigating complexity and more time enabling great decisions.

“We want to grow but never at the expense of who we are. You feel that every day. As Legal has grown, so has my interest in how support capabilities evolve, scale and work seamlessly with the business.

“It is still about people. What has stayed consistent throughout my career is that relationships matter, trust matters, fairness matters. That is what I want to bring into the way we build services here.”

Legal Operations is a young function, and that is exactly what motivates him.

“In BSO, we have the opportunity to design something from the ground up. We can create new ways of working that help the business move faster while staying true to our values. It’s a chance to connect dots and build capabilities that make it easier for our lawyers to focus on enabling growth and innovation.”

When asked how his work impacts LEGO® fans and consumers, Nikolaj is clear about the role his team plays.

“As a support function, we help the rest of the LEGO Group focus on what they’re good at, designing new products, making sure they hit the shelves, and creating amazing experiences for fans. By removing some of the legal and tax work from them, we free them up to stay creative and innovative. We also make sure the LEGO Group pays its taxes responsibly and protect the LEGO brand through legal terms and enforcement of our intellectual property rights.”

Nikolaj playing with a colleague in Campus

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What has struck Nikolaj most since joining BSO is the spirit that defines the organisation.

“People genuinely want to collaborate. There is a mindset of continuous improvement. You feel this energy that says: how can we help each other succeed?”

That collective strength shapes how challenges are handled too.

“I try to look at what we want to achieve and make sure the direction is clear. I work closely with my team and the relevant stakeholders. I’m transparent about challenges and why something may be difficult. It helps us solve things together.”

Reflecting on the LEGO Group’s commitment to work–life balance and the ‘Best of Both’ model, Nikolaj shares how much the flexibility means to him.

“With three children, there are often school meetings and moments where I need to be present at home. The flexibility here makes that easy. I can adjust my day, work a little earlier or later, and still deliver what’s needed. It makes a big difference.”

And what would he say to anyone considering joining the LEGO Group and BSO?

“Explore and be curious. It’s a large organisation to understand, but the more you learn about it, the easier it becomes to have impact.

“Don’t join just because the brick is cool. Join because you want to contribute to a culture of cooperation, respect, and transparency. We’re a flat organisation. You need to work together, listen, and speak up. If you like helping others succeed, this is a great place to be.”

Trained as a lawyer, Nikolaj Kousgaard joined our Legal team in 2010. Back then, the function consisted of just 37 people across two sites: Billund in Denmark and Enfield in the United States. Today, Legal has grown to more than 150 colleagues in over 10 countries. 

Turning learning into impact🧠 Meet Nikolaj 👋

Trained as a lawyer, joined our Legal team in 2010. Back then, the function consisted of just 37 people across two sites in Denmark and the United States.

Turning learning into impact.🧠 Meet Nikolaj 👋

**JS** began as a **Finance Business Partner** in South Korea before moving into global roles in Denmark, supporting areas like commercial finance, our commercial development team, and leading global planning. But a shift in his focus towards building capability and shaping the future sent his career in a new direction.

“I do believe things happen for a reason. If you do good things, good things happen to you. LEGO® bricks also had a special meaning for me. I played a lot with LEGO® as a kid. So, when the opportunity to work here came up, I grabbed it with both hands.

“I realized later in my LEGO® career that I didn’t want a very traditional finance role. I was more interested in questions like: How do we prepare for tomorrow, what capabilities do we need, How do we streamline and build smarter processes That led me into project work.”


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One of his proudest achievements was leading the development of Lumos Topline, the global financial planning tool for the Markets & Channels Finance organization.

“Often people look at new tools to just automate and just do it easier vs. what is done e.g. excel. But we wanted to think differently. How do we plan faster, more efficiently, more touchless, but more importantly how do we combine and utilize the data sets we already have so we just don’t redo it and have hundreds of people sit in spreadsheets”


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The outcome was dramatic: global forecasting reduced from three weeks to one week, and eventually nowadays to a single day, with far fewer people involved.

“It showed the power of connecting data in new ways, create smart calculations and drives based logic, being willing to rethink our ways of working and be disruptive.
It was this future-focused mindset that brought JS to our Business Service Operations (BSO) Prague office, where he now leads the global service team: Finance Controlling and Partnering (FCP).

“We saw that some tasks sitting with senior finance business partners were necessary but taking time away to focus on strategic dialogues and actions required at that level. The question became: can we shift some of this work to the BSO, where there is scale, structure and the ability to standardize and create more efficient E2E processes globally”


That exploration led to a pilot, which led to a global rollout across the CFO Partner organizations, which led to JS’s new role.

“Now I’m leading the global team we envisioned. We are early in the journey, but it’s exciting. We’re looking at how we prepare for a future to be more efficient and productive and where data, reporting and AI become more important, how we challenge the status quo and how we create scalability and value for the finance organization.”


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What struck him most in Prague is the culture.

“I’ve only been here about four months, so you could say I’m still in the honeymoon phase. But people are extremely helpful. You see a willingness to improve what we do for the LEGO Group, and to go the extra mile. It makes me happy and grateful to come to work.”

JS sees the BSO as a place where collaboration truly comes to life.

“We are a relatively flat organization. People jump in to help each other. But it also means we need to improve at things like saying no respectfully and clearly. We tend to want to help everyone. That’s part of our culture, but we need to do it in a way that is sustainable and supports the bigger picture.”


As for work–life balance, he sees flexibility as a strength rather than a rule.

“I’m probably in the office five days a week. That’s my style. But the important thing is choice. The model lets each person do what works best for them. The best of both worlds looks different for everyone.”

JS is clear about one thing: join the LEGO Group for the right reasons.

“Do not join only because the brick is cool. Join for the culture and our vision and mission. If you come from a place where hierarchy or politics drive decisions, this will feel different. You need to be a team player, even if you’re an individual contributor. We listen to each other, and we speak up when something is not going well. If you want to grow and succeed that dialogue matters.

“This is somewhere you can really develop and grow as a person. If you want to prepare for the future and help shape it, this is a great place to be.”

JS began as a Finance Business Partner in South Korea before moving into global roles in Denmark, supporting areas like commercial finance, our commercial development team, and leading global planning. But a shift in his focus towards building capability and shaping the future sent his career in a new direction. 

A culture that listens👂A role that grows 🌱 Meet JS

JS began as a Finance Business Partner in South Korea before moving into global roles in Denmark, supporting areas like commercial finance

When **Abbie Balčáková** moved from Slovakia to Prague as a university student, she never expected to build a career in finance, or to find a workplace that felt so open, honest and supportive. Five months into her role as **Finance Manager** in our Business Service Operations (BSO) office in Prague, she discovers what makes this community special. As she explains, it’s a place where people look out for one another and where curiosity is simply part of how teams work together.

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“I’ve always been based in Prague since I started working full time. I am originally from Slovakia, but I’ve been living here for the last fourteen or fifteen years. Having studied international economic relations, I originally wanted to be an ambassador, but I realized that path was not for me.”

Finance came unexpectedly.

“Finance kind of fell into my lap. There was an open position at a company, and I thought I would give it a shot. I got the job and found that I actually enjoyed working with numbers, analyzing data and doing deep dives.”

Her career grew quickly. Seven years at Accenture in corporate finance. A move to Amazon, where she stepped into warehouse finance. Then came the moment she noticed a role at the LEGO Group.

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“I knew that here in Czechia, the LEGO Group is seen as a really good employer. I had friends and colleagues who knew people working here and everyone was so happy. People who moved here stayed here. That told me a lot.”

At first, Abbie applied for a senior role. But, having made it to final stages, she wasn’t selected. However, a month later, she received an unexpected call.

“They reached out and said they had another opportunity and that I was the first person they thought of. I was already in the final round with another company who had given me an offer. But I knew I would regret it if I didn’t take up this chance. So I rejected the other offer and went for this one. I’m so glad I did. I love it here.”

A few weeks after joining, she attended her first Play Day.

“Seeing how seriously the company cares about its people was huge for me. You feel it immediately. You’re not just a number. You’re not someone they will push out because they want more profit.”

Soon after, Abbie joined a town hall with the CFO team. It made an even stronger impression.

“They were open and honest. When someone asked a question, they did not give a vague answer. They invited us to challenge them. Jasper even said, you have the finance leadership team here, ask us anything. I thought, yes, this is the right place for me.”

Another surprise was how safe it felt to ask questions and admit when she needed help.

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“In other companies they say ask questions, be curious, but when you actually do, you sometimes get told you should already know that. Here it is not like that. I can ask something very elementary, and people just give me the answer. No judgement. You can simply say, I do not know, and your team and leader will support you.”

Support also shows up in everyday life. Abbie’s story about getting a motorcycle license is a perfect example.

“Two months after joining, I started my motorcycle license. I needed to take some classes during working hours. I explained the situation to my manager, and he just said, absolutely, no problem. As long as the work is delivered, it is fine.”

What he said next stayed with her.

“He told me, happy Abbie is productive Abbie, and I need productive Abbie. If that means taking a few hours for your license or going home early to walk your dog and then finishing work from home, that’s fine. It exceeded every expectation I had of an employer.”

Her current role is a blend of finance, insight and data. It’s also helping her plan her next career step.

“I know I am not going to be a people leader. That is not for me. I want to be an individual contributor, and I am realizing how much I enjoy data. SQL, Power BI, Tableau. This role lets me learn more and think about new ways of reporting and standardizing things. It’s perfect for where I want to go next, which is more toward data science.”

Her work also connects directly to fans and consumers.

“I support the retail finance team by taking on the administrative side of things, giving them space to focus on strategically growing the business. I may not work directly with consumers, but my work absolutely shapes the experience they ultimately have.

"The best part of my role are the people I work with and learning new things. My team is open, welcoming, honest and incredibly supportive. If I’m overwhelmed, they help. If I need space, they give it. It feels like the best place I could be.”

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When Abbie Balčáková moved from Slovakia to Prague as a university student, she never expected to build a career in finance, or to find a workplace that felt so open, honest and supportive. Five months into her role as Finance Manager, she discovers what makes this community special.

A workplace that feels like a community🙌 Meet Abbie 👩‍💻

A workplace that feels like a community. Meet Abbie.

Before digital transformation became part of everyday language here, **Jørn Erik** was already solving problems behind the scenes. He joined the LEGO Group in 1987 as a young engineer, supporting internal systems across our factories and supply chain. 
“Even then, I realise now, I was drawn to what I call ‘good problems’. The kind that requires you to find the real cause instead of just fixing what you can see. That mindset has stayed with me throughout my career.”

Thirteen years later, that mindset was about to be pushed to its limits. Twenty-five years ago, in a makeshift office hidden inside a Broadway toy-fair showroom, four engineers gathered around a table and decided to build something that had never been attempted at the LEGO Group before. 

The launch of the first global lego.com shop would become a milestone moment, not only for the business but for millions of fans around the world, including Jørn Erik. 


We arrived in the U.S. in 2000 expecting to work with an external company that had already been developing lego.com for a year. Two weeks later, the business cancelled that collaboration but kept the deadline. So we started again from scratch. I still remember the urgency, the uncertainty, and the spark of possibility that shaped everything that followed.”

The target was ambitious: relaunch the website, build the first LEGO® Account system, and create a fully functioning e-commerce shop in 13 countries and three languages. And they had just four months. 

“We were four internal engineers, and we referred to ourselves as the Four Musketeers. We were not hindered by processes. We were empowered to take decisions and whenever we had troubles, we sat around a round table. Nobody left before we had a solution and a plan.”

That sense of trust defined the whole experience. 

“There were no managers standing over us questioning whether we had made the right call. They trusted us. And that trust gave us enormous energy.”

The conditions were far from conventional. With no permanent office, the team worked from a toy-fair showroom filled with animated models, music and no windows. 

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"We turned one room into a meeting room and the other into a small data centre. It was before AWS and cloud computing. Everything was physical hardware. For the first two months we did not even have a proper network connection between New York and our Enfield site, so we were literally moving hard drives and even transporting servers in the boot of a car to integrate development from both locations.”

But empowerment to act fast carried them through mind-bending technical challenges. 

“Around September, we went to a Microsoft E-lab for performance testing and discovered the site could not go live. We had not slept for 40 hours. We got on the plane heading to the data centre we had prepared for go live and told our manager, ‘We cannot go live. But we have a plan. We will rewrite the whole thing in three weeks with a focused team of engineers.’ And he did not question it. He just said, ‘Okay’. That is empowerment.”

Three weeks later, the site went live and stayed running for about ten years. The moment the first order flowed through the system is etched in Jørn Erik’s memory. 

“We were sitting in the data centre in Alpharetta outside Atlanta, watching all the monitors. When we saw the first traffic hit LEGO.com, I placed an order myself for the Silver Champion racing car. I paid with my own credit card and shipped it to Billund. When I got home, it was waiting for me.”

What he learned during that year has influenced every chapter of his career. 


"Everything from that time influenced what came after. I spent years on 24/7 operational support which taught me the importance of finding the real root cause of problems rather than treating symptoms. Later, working on continuous delivery, our engineering organisation was doing 185 live deployments a week. Engineers could decide when to release without manager sign-off. To me, that is trust in action.”

But the deeper lesson has always been about people: how they work, what motivates them, and what they can achieve when they feel ownership. 

“I’ve programmed in eight languages, but what drives me now is creating the right environment for others to succeed. I am always trying to recreate what worked so well in 2000: the empowerment, the clarity, the shared responsibility. It is more challenging in a bigger organisation, but it is what I believe in.”

Today, Jørn Erik is a **Competency Lead** in Digital Technology, supporting People Technology systems used by colleagues worldwide. 


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"My focus is still on finding better problems to solve and helping others develop the same mindset that defined my journey.”

His message to early-career colleagues is simple: 

“Trust is something you earn, but empowerment is something you take. You must balance it with responsibility, and you can lose it the second you act recklessly. But if you take it seriously, you can create powerful solutions.”

As the LEGO Group marks 25 years of LEGO.com, Jørn Erik still sees the Silver Champion on his shelf at home. It is a reminder of the moment when four engineers were trusted to build the future.

Before digital transformation became part of everyday language here, Jørn Erik was already solving problems behind the scenes. He joined the LEGO Group in 1987 as a young engineer, supporting internal systems across our factories and supply chain. 

From bricks to clicks, via empowerment and trust.

From bricks to clicks, via empowerment and trust. 💡 Meet Jørn Erik.

From bricks to clicks, via empowerment and trust. 💡

When **Catalina Fernández** thinks about her journey to the LEGO Group, she still remembers the moment it began. It was her birthday in Colombia, when a LEGO® recruiter contacted her about a role overseas. Today she’s based in Prague, Czech Republic and leads the **Business Service Operations (BSO) organization for EMEA**, guiding our largest service centers. Her story is shaped by courage, opportunity and a deep belief that people come first. 

“I’m a mother of two young children. The chance to move from a huge corporate to a business known for its playfulness and work/life balance made a lot of sense to me. In my previous company, the hours were long and the culture was completely different. I wanted a place where I could be myself, where I could be friendly, and have more balance. I ‘ve never regretted saying yes. I love this company.” 

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At first, Catalina joined the shared services center in Monterrey, Mexico, supporting the Americas. It was a step that broadened her technical world far beyond what she had done before.

“In my previous role, I was looking at one stream. Suddenly, I had visibility of everything. Payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, financial processes. We were connected to every single employee and to so many of the company’s processes. It was fascinating. I was learning every day.”


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When she later moved to Prague, her responsibilities grew again.

“In America, we had 100 people. Here we have almost 300. This is the biggest shared service centre in the whole business. Sixty percent of the company’s volume and scope sits here. So I went from managing one region to helping lead the largest operation we have. It’s been an amazing journey of expanding and learning.”

She credits her leaders for encouraging her to take brave steps.

“My manager trusted me. He did not push me, but he gave me the courage to take on something bigger. That kind of trust stays with you.”


For Catalina, the moments she cherishes most are the human ones.

“One of my most emotional moments was when we announced in Monterrey that I was moving to Prague. We did the meeting over Teams because my manager was in Billund. I was crying. I loved my team. But when I left the room, many members of my team were crying too. I did not expect that. It showed me how connected we were. It touched my heart.”

Another moment came just before opening the new Prague office.

“The day before the office opened, I told my leaders we needed to get everything ready for our team. The office was empty. Twelve of us were there cleaning, organizing, and preparing every detail so that when people arrived, it would feel special. That moment showed how much we care. It’s more than just an office. It’s somewhere our people can thrive.”

BSO Prague covers a wide range of services. Employee services support colleagues from hiring to payroll. Financial services cover everything from order creation to customer payment, vendor invoicing, accounting and financial planning.

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The impact, Catalina says, travels far beyond the walls of the center.

“We manage financial accuracy and compliance. We take care of talented colleagues across the company. We make sure people are paid correctly and on time. Every accurate process, every decision, allows the business to reinvest in what really matters. Whether that’s amazing experiences for fans or giving teams more time with customers and kids. That is the impact we have.”

When asked what she finds most rewarding, her answer is immediate.

“Connecting with people. I’m in the office almost every day because I love talking to colleagues. I love having a coffee in the kitchen and listening. We also connect with stakeholders across the company. You hear different strategies, and you help enable them. Everyone here is nice. It makes connecting very natural.”

Challenges, she believes, are a chance to grow together.

“I like to see challenges as opportunities to build relationships. It might be a mistake or something difficult, but it is also a moment to connect with another team and find solutions together. We are one team. When something new comes up, we look at how to do it better. How to standardize, how to improve. Even with the LEGO Ask chatbot, there is so much creativity coming from the teams. Everyone brings ideas.”

What makes BSO Prague special, she says, is the energy.

“We have fun. In meetings, we still laugh, even when there is pressure. Someone makes a comment and suddenly you’re smiling. It is a fun place, full of energy. “We’re growing too. As we expand our services, we need new people with different skills. There will be many opportunities - and we prioritize development. That’s very important here.

“My advice to anyone is this: be yourself. Look for what gives you energy. Be brave. Our office is very diverse and that is part of our strength. We want you to bring who you are.”

When Catalina Fernández thinks about her journey to the LEGO Group, she still remembers the moment it began. It was her birthday in Colombia, when a LEGO® recruiter contacted her about a role overseas. "I’m a mother of two. The chance to move from a huge corporate to a business known for its playfulness and work/life balance made a lot of sense to me."

“People mean everything here. It’s all about connecting”💛 Meet Catalina. ✨

When Catalina Fernández thinks about her journey to the LEGO Group, she still remembers the moment it began.

People mean everything here. 💛 Meet Catalina

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For many of our fans, the moment begins with a box. Before the bricks are tipped onto the table or the instructions opened, there is the image on the packaging that sparks curiosity and imagination. For Ben, helping create that moment is part of his everyday work. 

**Ben** joined us in 2023 as a **Creative Manager** in the Visual Studio team. With a background in fine art and graphic design, he has always been fascinated by how ideas become visual stories.

“LEGO bricks have always been part of my life. Now I get to integrate them into my work as I collaborate with other creative people. I’ve always been passionate about the process behind visual communication, whether it’s commercial or personal. Combining the two makes what I do an absolute pleasure.”

His role focuses on product communication, particularly packaging. Every set that reaches fans around the world passes through a creative process involving designers, marketers and digital artists working together to capture the spirit of a product.

“Each project brings together an incredibly colourful palette of stakeholders. From marketers to CGI artists and graphic designers, everyone works at a very high creative level and pace. It means I need to be at the top of my game every day.”

For Ben, that environment has been one of the biggest drivers of growth.

“With every project I grow creatively and personally. You are constantly exposed to new ideas, new approaches and new expectations of what great product communication looks like.”

One project in particular stands out. When the team began working on the LEGO Formula 1 collaboration, the challenge was unlike anything he had worked on before.

“Working on LEGO Formula 1 was unforgettable because of the scale and complexity. We had to unify two iconic brands and express the identity of each Formula 1 team across multiple products and play experiences.”

Capturing that balance between authenticity and creativity required close collaboration across teams.

“It pushed us to new creative heights Everyone brought something different to the table and the collaboration between teams was incredible. Seeing the final result was very rewarding.”

While the work can be complex, Ben never loses sight of the impact it has on fans.

“Every LEGO set is wrapped in the simple but iconic box. That box is the canvas for our creative work. My colleagues and I in Visual Studio take great pride in creating the artwork that sits on it.”

For him, the goal is always the same: spark imagination.


“When someone sees that box on a shelf or online, we want them to immediately start imagining the play experience inside. That’s the moment where our work connects with fans.”

Creativity, learning and fun are all part of the rhythm of daily life in the team.

“Having fun is an essential part of my workday and my life in general. The LEGO Group creates an environment where you can enjoy what you do while still delivering at a very high level.”


That balance is something he believes is rare.

“OLA and the LEGO Group provide the perfect environment for having fun and getting things done. There’s a strong sense of professionalism but also a very human atmosphere.”

It is also a place where creativity thrives through diversity.

“The people here are just as colourful as LEGO bricks themselves. It’s international but still very down-to-earth. That combination is quite special.”
Looking ahead, he sees endless opportunities to keep learning and evolving.

“That’s the exciting part. Every project is different. Every collaboration brings something new. You’re always pushing yourself to create something better.”
And somewhere in the world, a fan will pick up a LEGO set, look at the box, and imagine the world of play and fun they are about to enter. 

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Ben joined us in 2023 as a Creative Manager in the Visual Studio team. With a background in fine art and graphic design, he has always been fascinated by how ideas become visual stories.

Every LEGO set begins with imagination.” Meet Ben 💭

New technologies are helping us find ever-more creative ways to reimagine play. **Sami** is one of the people driving these innovations. Together, we’re enriching the LEGO® experience for a new generation.

"As an **electronic engineer**, I’m more into the physical components that drive our tech innovations. Things like sensors, lights, vibrations - anything and everything you can use to make play more interactive. Children are surrounded by technology, these days, and blending this into their experience means I get to have a lot of fun.”

Sami and his team are constantly on the lookout for emerging technologies, with the goal of transforming them into something children can enjoy. The magic happens at a cutting-edge workshop in the heart of London. Here, Sami and his colleagues have access to a variety of high-tech tools. 

“Our job involves a lot of tech ‘scouting’. We try to find novel ways to use the latest tech to create play. It’s about spotting what’s brewing now, like new types of tactile sensations on smartphones or innovative lighting effects.” 

“The environment I work in is very fast, agile and hands-on. Ideas can go from concept to prototype in a flash. We basically have a 3D printer, soldering irons, and a lot of tools to help us get things in the hands of children very quickly, so we can understand if it’s fun or if it’s confusing for them; what excites them and what falls flat.” 

Despite the playful nature of the work, there’s a serious side to what Sami does.

“A lot of the stuff I do is confidential, so I can’t talk about it. These are our top-secret big-ticket innovations for the future. Things take time to come to market. There’s a lot of investment and research and I get to work on some groundbreaking projects. For me, it’s an absolute dream.” 


“I’ve always had a knack for taking things apart. Every toy I got, probably from age seven onwards, they all ended up in pieces. I wanted to understand what made them tick. I guess this is what drove my career in the directions of electronics and engineering. But I’ve always wanted to make toys, so it was probably inevitable that I’d end up working at the LEGO Group sooner or later.”

Being at the meeting point where technology and play converge, feels like a perfect fit for Sami. But, as he tells us, there’s a lot more to it.

"It feels great to know I’m helping to shape how children are going to play in the future. But I’m part of something much bigger. Getting to collaborate with teams spread across the globe is how it all happens and makes everything even more fun. I work with colleagues in Billund, Denmark, as well as teams in Singapore, Los Angeles, and London.”

“The diversity of thought is really powerful. We’ve got people from everywhere and we all bring different perspectives. It’s really nice to have that shared sense of creativity.”

At the core of everything Sami does is a deep belief in the power of play. 


“For me, designing toys isn’t just about making cool gadgets - it’s about giving hungry minds the tools to stimulate their imaginations. Children are the future, so I want to give them experiences that will help them build one that’s more creative. It’s about allowing them to escape from reality and engage their minds in ways that are both fun and educational.”

“It’s about having the freedom to explore - which is a big deal for me too. It helps me do what I do. If I see something new, I have the freedom to say, ‘Hey, I’ve got an idea. Let’s test it’. Pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. That’s what everything is about.”

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New technologies are helping us find ever-more creative ways to reimagine play. Sami is one of the people driving these innovations. Together, we’re enriching the LEGO® experience for a new generation.

Creating tools for the imagination. 🪄 Meet Creative Tech Wizard, Sami.

Creating tools for the imagination.

Working with numbers has always come naturally to **Mark**. But for us, data isn’t just about spreadsheets and forecasts—it’s about creating seamless customer experiences and ensuring that the right people are in the right place at the right time. 

As a **Demand Planning Manager**, Mark plays a crucial role in making sure our customer service teams are fully prepared to meet consumer needs across the globe. 

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**"I came for the numbers and stayed for the culture”** 

“I probably didn’t have that much of an affinity with LEGO® bricks as a child. But the minute you walk into the place, it’s just joyous. The feel, the culture, the energy—it was unlike any other place I had worked before. My interview didn’t even feel like an interview, it felt like an informal chat in a pub without the beer.”

This warmth and sense of belonging have proved strong enough for Mark to stay with us for over 11 years—a career move he never expected, but one he’s incredibly grateful for.

**Planning for the unpredictable**

In demand planning, forecasting isn’t just about looking at past data—it’s about anticipating the unexpected and ensuring our customer engagement teams are equipped to handle it.

“We take all kinds of data—sales, revenue trends, consumer behaviour—and turn that into a prediction for how many calls, emails, and chats we’re going to get. That way, we can ensure that the right number of advisors are available in the right place at the right time.

“My teams role may play out behind the scenes but it directly impacts the customer experience. Whether it’s helping parents track down missing birthday presents or troubleshooting technical issues, the customer service teams rely on accurate forecasting to make sure they can provide quick, efficient support.”


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**"COVID changed everything"**

Mark’s job became even more complex during the COVID-19 pandemic, when global demand for LEGO products skyrocketed. The models his team had relied on for years were no longer effective, and he had to rebuild them from the ground up.

“Before COVID, we used historical data and seasonal trends to predict demand. But when lockdowns hit, everything changed. People were at home, buying our products like never before. We had to completely rethink how we forecast demand, tying it more closely to factors like online sales and global retail patterns.”

The result was a brand-new forecasting model that allowed us to scale our customer service efforts in real-time—a transformation that Mark considers one of his biggest achievements.


**A culture of growth and support**

Throughout his time here, Mark has benefited from a culture that prioritises development and work-life balance.

“When I first joined, I had no kids. Three weeks later, I went on paternity leave. Other companies I was interviewing with at the time wouldn’t have allowed it, but here it wasn’t an issue. That speaks volumes about our values.”

Over the years, we’ve supported Mark’s professional growth, funding his secondary degree in contact centre management and encouraging him to push for new career opportunities within the company.


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“My boss didn’t just ask what I wanted to do next—he actively helped me get there. When a management role became available, it felt like a natural next step because I had already been given the opportunities to develop the skills I needed.”

**The bigger picture: numbers that drive connection**

While Mark’s job is deeply rooted in data and forecasting, he never loses sight of the bigger picture—ensuring our customers receive the best possible experience.

“People don’t necessarily think of demand planning as something that impacts the end customer, but it absolutely does. If we don’t get our forecasts right, people are waiting too long for help. But when we do, we create a smooth, frustration-free experience for LEGO fans worldwide.

“There’s lots to love about my role but, ultimately, it all boils down to creating seamless, joyful experiences—one forecast at a time.”


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Working with numbers has always come naturally to Mark. But for us, data isn’t just about spreadsheets and forecasts—it’s about creating seamless customer experiences and ensuring that the right people are in the right place at the right time. As a Demand Planning Manager, Mark plays a crucial role in making sure our customer service teams are fully prepared to meet consumer needs across the globe. 

Demanding more from the numbers: Meet Mark 🧮

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Find out more

Children inspire our work. They inspire our culture, too. We encourage curiosity, creativity and imagination so everyone can play their part. This creates a safe space for our people to live their purpose and succeed and grow together. It’s all brought to life with play.

Why join us? 🤔

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Just imagine being empowered to do your best work - every day. Our workplaces are designed to support how you work best, whether that’s at LEGO® Campus, in a hub, store, manufacturing site, office, or at home. With flexible, inspiring spaces and a hybrid approach, we help everyone do their best work, their way.

Workplace Experience & Hybrid Working 💫

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Our Leadership Culture is driven by our Leadership Playground, which helps us develop the leadership behaviours we need in the LEGO Group now and for the future.

A culture that energises everybody every day. 🤸

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A red-carpet welcome to a playful workplace. 🤩 Meet Lissa. 

As one of our Talent Acquisition Managers, **Lissa** is driven by her passion for people and belief in the power of play. With over five years' experience with us, she plays a crucial role in welcoming new colleagues to the business collaborative work environment.

Life Behind the Bricks