At any other time of year the view east from Bob Eckert’s office would be obscured by smog. But it is an unusually clear day in Los Angeles so the Mattel chief executive can see snow-capped mountains from his office in El Segundo.

After a year blighted by the recall of millions of toys following safety concerns, it is also the first time for several months that the chief executive has seen brighter times ahead for the world’s biggest toy company.