Turning stories into connections: Meet Bilgehan📚
For Bilgehan, innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about storytelling, creativity, and finding new ways to engage across digital platforms. As an Innovation Lead within Community Management and Moderation, a simple yet powerful question drives her work: how can we build stronger, more personal connections with LEGO® fans?
"A career change that felt like a home-coming"
Bilgehan’s journey to becoming one of our colleagues was a little different from the norm. It’s also proof that skills learned in one life, can help to build another.
“I worked all my life as a journalist and TV producer, but when I wanted to try out a new career path, I knew the LEGO Group was the company I wanted to return to. I had worked here before and it was such a positive experience, so it was an easy decision..
“Now, instead of telling stories through news and television, I focus on crafting experiences that allow our fans to connect with the brand in dynamic and interactive ways.”
Turning engagement into an experience
“My team continuously experiments with new ways to enhance digital engagement, testing hypotheses and analysing how fans respond.
“We look at all the digital platforms, every touchpoint we have with consumers, and ask—how can we do better?
Can we surprise and delight people? Can we engage them in ways they don’t expect?”
"The magic is in the personal stories"
One of Bilgehan’s stand-out projects involved reimagining employee engagement.
“We tested an idea—what if we engaged with our employees as fans? We selected a small group and asked them to share their own LEGO stories.
Some posted photos, some wrote personal reflections, and others shared heartwarming memories. What we found was that when people told personal stories, engagement skyrocketed.
It wasn’t just about the company; it was about the people behind it.”
This insight helped shape a strategy where authentic, heartfelt storytelling became a key component of our approach to engagement.
Innovating for the next generation
Beyond employee engagement, Bilgehan’s work also extends to how we interact with our youngest fans.
“We worked on kids’ engagement through platforms like LEGO Play, a safe social space where children can share their creations. Initially, we used templated responses, but kids quickly caught on.
So, we switched to personalised responses through NPC (non-playable character) engagement, and the reaction was incredible. Kids felt seen, valued, and encouraged to keep creating.”
For Bilgehan, these moments of connection are what make her work meaningful.
Collaboration at the heart of innovation
Working at the LEGO Group has also taught Bilgehan a new way of approaching teamwork.
“In journalism, you focus on your own piece, your own project. Here, innovation needs a ‘village’. It requires collaboration across teams, stakeholders, and regions. Learning to navigate that, to truly work as part of a team, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.”
“Collaboration isn’t just encouraged—it’s expected. If I email someone, even if they don’t know me, 90% of the time they’ll respond and be happy to help. That generosity of knowledge and time is rare, and it makes this place special.”
“It just feels like home”
“The culture here is incredibly positive. People genuinely want to help each other. It’s not about rigid corporate structures; it’s about playfulness, creativity, and teamwork.
“With every project I lead, every idea we test and every connection we make, my role shows that great storytelling doesn’t just inform—it engages, delights, and builds lasting relationships. And in our world, that’s what it’s all about.”
Just imagine your LEGO® career.