Merlin Entertainments CEO Scott O’Neil is set to leave the company at the end of this year, with Fiona Eastwood stepping in as interim CEO.
Via a press release, O’Neil has informed the board that he has accepted another role and will stand down from Merlin at the end of 2024.
While a permanent successor to O’Neil is found, Eastwood will serve as interim CEO. She will oversee the business operations and global growth of Merlin across its 140+ attractions in more than 20 countries.
Currently, she is chief operating officer of Merlin’s Midway attractions and resort theme parks.
O’Neil said: “It has been an honour to lead Merlin Entertainments as it lays the foundations for its next phase of growth. I look forward to working with Fiona as interim CEO to ensure a smooth transition. She is an outstanding leader who will take the business forward with drive, creativity and ambition.”
“Scott has led Merlin Entertainments with passion and dedication, and I would like to thank him for his service to this company. We wish him well in all his future endeavours,” said Roland Hernandez, chair of Merlin Entertainments.
He added, “Fiona has nearly a decade of experience at Merlin Entertainments, and has focused on delivering world-class attractions with the best IP in the world, and exceptional guest and team experiences.
“She has built a reputation throughout the live attractions and theme parks industry as a world-class leader. Her prior role as COO of the company puts her in an ideal position to lead this transition and build upon Merlin’s mission to be the greatest place to work and play.”
Eastwood said: “Merlin is a truly world-class company with an exciting year ahead, including the opening of Legoland Shanghai, our first Legoland park in China, and Peppa Pig Theme Park in Dallas.
Fiona Eastwood: interim CEO
“Our business is led by an extraordinarily talented, innovative and inspiring management team, and I look forward to working closely with them to execute our strategy and to continue to deliver exceptional experiences to our guests.”
O’Neil joined Merlin as CEO in November 2022. He replaced Merlin veteran Nick Varney, who retired after 23 years with the company.
Before working at Merlin, O’Neil served as CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), a portfolio of sports, entertainment, and investment properties.
Merlin is the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator, welcoming more than 60 million guests every year.
Its portfolio of sites includes Legoland parks, as well as theme park resorts such as Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Heide Park and Gardaland. The group also operates more than 20 hotels and six holiday villages.
Images courtesy of Merlin
