Under turnaround expert Poul Plougmann, LEGO launched a number of initiatives to pushed innovation even further, mostly resulting in more failure. But he did champion one of the massive success stories of LEGO's current lineup: licensing. Plougmann pushed for a Star Wars license that increased revenue significantly. He also knew the company needed to turn its losses into profits again, so he moved quickly to shut unprofitable factories and cut the number of employees to reduce cost. He opened a new distribution channel by selling directly to consumers via the LEGO online and retail stores which reduced retailers’ purchasing power and brought the consumer closer to LEGO.
