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jamie christon

Jamie Christon CEO Chester Zoo

As CEO, Jamie Christon is responsible for the overall leadership of Chester Zoo’s organisational plan, as well as its team of directors and senior management. The zoo is one of the largest and most popular in Europe. In 2019, Chester Zoo welcomed more than 2 million visitors, employed 1,000 staff and had a turnover of £46 million. Under Christon’s leadership, the zoo has gone from strength to strength.

“It’s a big zoo; 125 acres, and will probably grow to become 130 or 140 acres over the next few years,” he told blooloop. “Improving that flow to allow visitors, especially first time visitors, to get a better handle of where the main areas of the zoo are, is important; as well as improving the food and beverage offer, the retail offer, and improving our car parking facilities.” 

“We’ve got the ability to park around about five and a half thousand cars; so about 15,000 visitors at one time. We need to develop that, and, behind-the-scenes, to develop the infrastructure of the zoo,” he added.

After graduating with a degree in politics, Christon started his career in high street food and retail department store management. He went on to work for Manchester Airport Group, leading commercial operations. After this, he became managing director at Exeter Airport in Devon. There, he managed the transition from local authority to private sector ownership.

Before joining Chester Zoo in 2013, Christon oversaw on-board operations in Europe for Stena Line. He started out as the zoo’s chief operating officer before being named its chief executive officer in March 2021. He focused on the financial recovery of the zoo in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022, he has reestablished the strategic development plan and is supporting the zoo’s conservation masterplan, which takes the institution to its 100th anniversary in 2031.

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