The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) has announced that Andreas Andersen, CEO and President of Liseberg Group in Gothenburg, Sweden, has been elected Chairman of the Board for 2018.
Andersen officially accepted the role during the Kickoff Event for the IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando. The association’s 2018 officers were also introduced at the event.
Andersen is CEO and President of the Liseberg Group, one of Sweden’s most popular tourist attractions. He has spent the past six years overseeing the theme park and its adjacent hotels, campsites, and entertainment venues.
Andersen has a long association with IAAPA. He has previously served as Executive Director for IAAPA’s European office, leading the expansion of the association’s presence in Europe.
He has served on the IAAPA Board of Directors since 2013. He is also on the association’s Executive and Finance Committee, has chaired the IAAPA European Government Relations Committee and European Advisory Board, and is a member of the IAAPA Branding Task Force.
Furthermore, Andersen is on the board of directors of Fårup Sommerland, the Swedish Association of Amusement Parks, and Göteborg & Co. Regional Tourism Board.
2018 IAAPA Officers
The IAAPA Board of Directors elected the following officers for the organisation for 2018:
- Chairman – Andreas Andersen, CEO and President, Liseberg Group, Sweden
- First Vice Chairman – David Rosenberg, Vice President, Monterey Bay Aquarium, United States
- Second Vice Chairman – Amanda Thompson OBE, managing director, Blackpool Pleasure Beach Ltd., and President, Stageworks Worldwide Productions, United Kingdom
- Treasurer – Charles “Hank” Salemi, President, Six Flags Great America, United States
- Immediate Past Chairman – Greg Hale, vice president and chief safety officer, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, United States
- IAAPA President and CEO – Paul Noland, IAAPA
The following IAAPA members were also elected to serve the association on its board of directors:
New Facility and Life Directors:
- Adrea Gibba, Managing Director, Planet Aqua Group, United States
- VGP Ravidas, Managing Director, VGP Universal Kingdom, India
- Bonnie Weber, Park President, Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor, United States
New Past Chairman Director:
- Chip Cleary, Senior Consultant, Europa-Park GmbH & Co. Mack KG, United States
New Manufacturer and Supplier Director:
- Phil Wilson, Executive Vice President, Extreme Engineering, United States