Jeanette Chen has been the divisional director for LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort in China since 2018. She first joined Merlin Entertainments in 2012 as Shanghai cluster general manager, before being appointed to the role of regional general manager of Merlin Midway in China in 2015. Her current responsibility is to facilitate & support the development of LEGOLAND Park projects in China
She has spent the last 25 years in the themed attractions and family entertainment business in China, delivering business successes for a number of leading brands and working on new business setup, pre-opening, operation, brand transformation & attraction upgrades through developing feasibility studies, market research, master plan, creative concept and financial model development.
As regional general manager of Merlin Midwayin China, Chen was responsible for running the business of several brands across multi-sites including Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and SEA LIFE. Under her leadership, the Merlin China Hub was established in Shanghai. She was named the company’s general manager of the year in 2015.
Construction began on the LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort site in the Jinshan District in November 2021. The site, which covers approximately 31.8 hectares and is set to launch in 2024, will feature state-of-the-art experiences amid Chinese culture. LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort is expected to cost approximately $550m. It is set to be one of the largest LEGOLAND resorts in the world and will include a 250-room hotel.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Chen said: “We are very pleased to bring a world-class, international theme park to more Chinese consumers. The design of the resort incorporates many of the most iconic LEGOLAND experiences, as well as elements of traditional Chinese and Shanghai culture.”
The LEGOLAND park will be home to eight themed areas, including LEGOLAND Creative World, Brick Street, Bricktopia, LEGO City, LEGO Friends, LEGO Monkie Kid, LEGO Ninjago World and LEGO Castle.