Philip Royle is a divisional director at Merlin Entertainments. He currently oversees operations at LEGOLAND Korea in Chuncheon, South Korea, the world’s 10th LEGOLAND attraction, which opened to the public in May 2022. Prior to this, he was director of development and operations for Korea and China, where he was responsible for the initial setup of operations for the new LEGOLAND resorts in Korea and China. He has worked for Merlin for over 20 years, starting as a rides & attractions team leader at Chessington World of Adventures.
Covering 28,000 square metres and featuring a LEGOLAND park with 40 rides and attractions, alongside a 154-room LEGOLAND Hotel, LEGOLAND Korea Resort is home to seven themed lands: Brick Street, Bricktopia, Lego Castle, Lego Ninjago World, Pirates Shore, Lego City and Miniland.
“Legoland Korea is the perfect destination for kids and families,” said Royle, when the resort first opened. “It will be the best theme park for anyone looking for an authentic Lego experience. We do hope everyone who came on the first day of the opening will have an unforgettable and enjoyable experience.”
One nominator said: “This nominee leads from the front on the multiple projects of opening new LEGOLAND-endorsed parks internationally. While being the face of the new-to-be parks he has been adopted by the local communities and continues to strive for excellence in bringing them closer together. I noticed firsthand how he brings his community together whilst in Florida and followed his New Park openings journey in both Goshen, NY and Korea – where the community adopted him through his initiatives and ideas.
“As a leader Philip has demonstrated mentorship, leadership and empathy to all his teams both directly and indirectly to achieve results and projects where people have been the essence of deliverables. This no doubt goes a long way in his tenured career with Merlin and why he delivers in all cornerstones of the industry.”