Mattel 2003 Annual Report Download - page 8

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 8 of the 2003 Mattel annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 118

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • 85
  • 86
  • 87
  • 88
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • 96
  • 97
  • 98
  • 99
  • 100
  • 101
  • 102
  • 103
  • 104
  • 105
  • 106
  • 107
  • 108
  • 109
  • 110
  • 111
  • 112
  • 113
  • 114
  • 115
  • 116
  • 117
  • 118

Mattel’s Board
continues its
commitment to
using the best
practices in
governance,
disclosure and
accountability.
Consistent with a new retirement policy in our corporate governance guidelines, two directors, Bill
Rollnick and Harold Brown, are retiring from the Board this year. Bill, who retired in January, chaired
our Audit Committee with unwavering integrity. He also served as Chairman of the Board in early
2000. Harold is clearly one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. His research and leadership on
global issues spans six decades at the very highest levels of government and education.
In anticipation of upcoming retirements, your Board recruited Mike Dolan, former chief executive
officer of Young & Rubicam, and Ron Sargent, chief executive officer of Staples, to join its ranks.
Mike and Ron bring intellectual and operating discipline crafted over years of diverse business experi-
ences. We look forward to their contributions as we take Mattel to a higher level of performance.
To achieve success in 2004, we need to stay focused on leading with children and their parents,
with customers, in our communities and with our shareholders. I want to assure you that we are
intently focused on addressing the top-line by invigorating the Barbie®brand and by capitalizing on
the positive momentum of our electronic learning strategy. We are also managing and controlling
costs while we continue to improve productivity and processes. We are working on ways to
strengthen our relationships with existing customers while at the same time developing alternative
retail channels. We are dedicated to leading by example in our communities. We are committed to
maximizing long-term value for our shareholders.
We will be leaders. We will inspire, take risks and set the pace. We will overcome adversity and
redefine boundaries. We will be visionaries. We will be leaders every day, everywhere, for everyone,
with every brand.
And we will be the World’s Premier Toy Brands –Today and Tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Eckert
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer