Fiona Eastwood

Merlin Entertainments announced Fiona Eastwood as its new chief executive officer in February 2025 after 10 years with the company. She had already been serving as interim CEO of Merlin since November 2024, when former CEO Scott O'Neil stepped down after a two-year tenure.

She was previously the chief operating officer of Merlin’s Midway attractions and resort theme parks, including the existing Midway portfolio, as well as new openings and franchise operations.

These include UK parks such as Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, and Chessington, as well as Gardaland in Italy and Heide Park in Germany, along with Midway brands like Sea Life aquariums, Madame Tussauds, The Dungeons, and Lego Discovery Centres.

In her new role, Eastwood is responsible for implementing Merlin's transformational strategy and ensuring it's well-placed to grow at scale, as well as overseeing Merlin's portfolio of resort theme parks, city-centre attractions, and Legoland resorts in more than 20 countries.

She joined Merlin in 2015 as the global marketing director of Midway attractions. Prior to her work with Merlin, she was with BBC Worldwide and held senior roles for one of the BBC’s biggest brands, Doctor Who.

"It’s an honour to be chosen to lead Merlin. It is a truly world-class company, with remarkable global reach and impact," Eastwood said on her appointment.

"Over the past decade, I have seen firsthand what the business is capable of. My task, as CEO, is to lead Merlin to new heights, with a focus on performance, creativity, operational excellence and guest experience."

Roland Hernandez, chair of Merlin, said: "Fiona has a deep understanding of the business, the strategies required for sustainable growth, and the vision to spearhead our ongoing transformation.

"As Merlin’s former chief operating officer, she recognises the significant role each location plays in our ongoing success, and she will be instrumental in bringing our global attractions together into one united business."