Growing up in Grovedale with plastic bricks has led one local man to the pinnacle of the toy world. Troy Taylor, who spent his childhood building Lego creations, now holds the prestigious position of vice president and general manager of Lego Australia and New Zealand.
From Childhood Passion to Executive Position
Troy Taylor's earliest memories involve catching the train from Geelong with his mother to visit the Lego World Show at Myer Melbourne's mural hall. Those special trips, followed by days spent building new sets, ignited a lifelong passion that would eventually shape his career path.
"I think the funniest thing is when you sit on an aeroplane because people will make small talk, like 'What do you do for a living?' When I tell them who I work for, there's the rest of the flight," Troy shares with a laugh during a phone interview from Sydney.
His career journey began modestly with a part-time job at Target in Waurn Ponds while completing Year 12 and studying for an advanced diploma in business at The Gordon. After becoming toy department manager at Target Geelong and completing a degree at Deakin University, a Lego representative approached him about a position with the world's largest toy company.
International Experience and Community Values
Over his 23-year career with Lego, Troy has accumulated impressive international experience. At just 27 years old, having never travelled overseas before, he was sent to the United States to manage Lego's relationship with its biggest client at the time, Toys R Us.
His global journey continued when he took on the role of general manager for greater China, where he established the business in Taiwan, expanded the Hong Kong market, and ventured into Macau. After six years in Asia, he returned to Australia four years ago to assume his current leadership position.
Throughout his career, Troy has maintained that his business philosophy reflects the values he learned growing up in Geelong. "A sense of community, of connection and of collaboration" have guided his approach, qualities that align perfectly with Lego's commitment to community stewardship.
The company demonstrates this commitment by donating 25 percent of its profits to children's charities. In Australia, this includes organizations like Camp Quality, the Children's Hospital, and Good 360, which distributes excess and donated items from businesses to people in need.
Lego's Evolution and Cultural Impact
Under Troy's leadership, Lego has expanded beyond its traditional markets. "When I first started working for the Lego Group, the focus was on preschoolers and boys," he explains. "Girls have become a bigger part of the market in the past 5-10 years through the Lego Friends and Disney Princess ranges."
The brand has also diversified into various passion points, including:
- Home decor with botanical sets like roses
- Movie-themed collections, including massive Star Wars sets
- Sports collaborations with brands like Nike
Lego's cultural presence has grown significantly through successful movie franchises that have generated over $1 billion at the box office and Australia's version of Lego Masters, which has become the longest-running iteration of the show worldwide.
Addressing the Play Deficit and Fostering Creativity
Troy expresses concern about what he calls a "play deficit" in modern childhood. "Kids are spending a lot of time on screens. They're spending a lot of time studying because there's a lot of pressure now for kids to do well at school," he observes.
He believes this reduction in playtime affects children's creativity, which has broader implications. "If we need to solve the problems of the next 21st century, we need creative problem solvers. Playing with Lego bricks does that because it sort of unlocks that passion and that problem-solving ability."
Australian Lego Milestones and Personal Highlights
Australia boasts some significant Lego achievements that Troy takes pride in, particularly the world's largest Lego store located on Pitt Street in Sydney. The massive retail space spans over 920 square meters across two storeys and has become such an attraction that international tourists specifically visit Australia to experience it.
Another career highlight for Troy involves Lego's participation in Melbourne's iconic Myer Christmas windows, a tradition he enjoyed as a child. This year's display required eight months of construction and nearly 490,000 bricks to create a story about a child sending their Christmas wish list to Santa.
"It's a career highlight for me because I grew up going to those Christmas windows and to actually have Lego play a part in that and bring Christmas to life in these windows is really exciting," Troy shares. "The feedback from fans and families has just been fantastic. People are loving it."
The six windows feature Melbourne landmarks including the MCG and Myer Music Bowl, with hidden details for observant fans to discover.
Today, Troy continues to share his childhood passion with his own sons, building sets together and creating new family memories around the plastic bricks that have shaped both his personal life and professional journey from Grovedale to the executive suites of the world's largest toy company.
