13th May 2015 11:28
LONDON (Alliance News) - Merlin Entertainments PLC Wednesday said it is reorganising its executive team and creating a new team, the New Openings Group, to oversee the opening and integration of all new attractions across the business, as it increases the pace of new attraction roll-outs.
The New Openings Group will be headed by a chief new openings officer, a role which will be undertaken by John Jakobsen, the current managing director of LEGOLAND Parks. He will assume responsibility for the LEGOLAND Developments and Midway Developments teams.
Following this, Hans Aksel Pedersen is being promoted from senior divisional director of LEGOLAND Parks to Jakobsen's current post of managing director.
Nick Mackenzie, who is currently managing director of Resort Theme Parks, will take on the role of managing director of Midway Attractions, while Justin Platt is being promoted from marketing director to managing director of Resort Theme Parks.
Merlin has planned seven new Midway Attractions for 2015 and 2016 and hopes to increase this to eight per year from 2017. In addition, three new LEGOLAND Parks are scheduled to open in the next three years.
"Merlin Magic Making, under the leadership of Mark Fisher, will continue to provide the creative leadership and project management for new attractions, with the New Openings Group providing the resource and expertise to launch new attractions and integrate them into the wider group," Chief Executive Nick Varney said in a statement.
"These changes underline our commitment to further growth and position the business for the next phase of expansion," he added.
Separately, Merlin said that Glenn Earlam, managing director of the Midway Attractions Operating Group, will be leaving the business on June 12 to take up a new role as chief executive of David Lloyd Leisure.
Shares in Merlin were trading up 0.5% at 454.60 pence midday Wednesday.
By Karolina Kaminska; [email protected] @KarolinaAllNews
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