Change at the top for toy brick maker Lego

Lego is replacing its British chief executive Bali Padda, just eight months after appointing him.

The Danish toymaker said yesterday that the 61-year-old will be sidelined to make way for Niels Christiansen, 51, who is currently boss of industrial tech firm Danfoss.

Padda, who was only appointed in December as part of a wide-ranging management shake-up, will retain a role at the firm as a special adviser. Christiansen will take up the role on 1 October.

Lego chairman Jorgen Vig Knudstorp said the transition to a new chief executive occurred “more rapidly than the board had anticipated”. Christiansen began his career at consultancy Mckinsey.