Merlin Entertainments is the world’s second largest visitor attraction operator and Europe’s number one. Merlin Entertainments has over 130 attractions around the world, ranging from indoor attractions such as SEA LIFE and Madame Tussauds to iconic theme parks like LEGOLAND and Alton Towers Resort. 

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Merlin Entertainments

Alistair was appointed Acting Chief Financial Officer in July 2020, including responsibility for Merlin Group IT and Procurement.

Alistair joined Merlin in 2008 and has held various senior finance roles, including Head of Corporate Finance, Group Investor Relations Director, Senior Finance Director – Capital Projects and most recently, Deputy CFO.

Prior to Merlin, Alistair worked for [Deloitte](/org/deloitte) in Audit & Assurance.

Alistair Windybank

Matt was appointed Chief Corporate Officer in August 2020. Leading the Group’s governance, compliance and legal matters, he is also responsible for Corporate Affairs, HR, Property and Health and Safety on the Executive Committee. Matt was previously Merlin’s Group General Counsel and Company Secretary.

Matt has a held a number of Executive Committee roles within publicly listed companies including General Counsel and Company Secretary at DS Smith PLC, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of VT Group plc and Group General Counsel of RMC Group plc. He began his career at law firm [Linklaters](/org/linklaters-llp).

Matt Jowett

Fiona Eastwood is Chief Operating Officer of Merlin’s Midway attractions encompassing the existing Midway estate, new openings and franchise operations.

Fiona was previously Managing Director, Midway Attractions a role to which Fiona was appointed in 2019, following a period as Managing Director, Resort Theme Parks. In 2015, Fiona joined Merlin as Global Marketing Director, Midway Attractions, responsible for driving all aspects of brand strategy and marketing across a global portfolio of Midway brands.

Fiona joined from BBC Worldwide, where she was responsible for strategic planning, brand management, market research, ancillary revenues and branded partnerships across Nordics, CEMA, Asia and Latin America. Previously, she held roles as Managing Director, Consumer Products and Commercial Director for one of the BBC’s biggest international brands, Doctor Who.

Fiona Eastwood

Ian Crabbe was appointed Manager Director, Resort Theme Parks in 2019.  He was previously Divisional Director, Alton Towers Resort for 10 years.  Ian guided the Staffordshire theme park through a challenging decade, focussing on providing outstanding guest experiences and product innovation.  Ian’s tenure saw the Resort introduce world-beating rollercoasters including The Smiler and Wicker Man, and the opening in 2019 of the Alton Towers Dungeon.  Ian has also driven the expansion of accommodation at the Resort, including the launch of the UK’s only CBeebies Land Hotel which opened in 2017. Ian has also overseen the management of Thorpe Park Resort during 2018.

Ian Crabbe

Mark ‘Fish’ Fisher manages Merlin Magic Making (MMM), the company’s business development, creative and brands organisation. MMM works alongside Merlin’s three Operating Groups and brings together, New Business Development, Creative, Intellectual Property, Production, Project Management, Group Engineering and Brand Development.

A graduate in Recreation Management, Fish joined the Tussauds Group in 1991 and Merlin in 1995. He has been a senior member of the management team since the inception of Merlin, playing a key role as part of the original management buyout  of Vardon, and in the ongoing organic development, which has been at the heart of the company’s success. Originally Group Marketing Director, he has also held the Managing Director roles in all of Merlin’s Operating Divisions.

Mark Fisher

John heads up LEGOLAND Resorts Group and is responsible for all new and existing LEGOLAND Resorts globally, supporting Merlin’s dynamic growth plans.

He was previously Merlin’s Chief New Openings Officer responsible for all new attraction openings including six new LEGOLAND Resorts and the integration of acquisitions.

John started his career at the LEGO Group following a business degree, and subsequently took on the challenge to expand the LEGOLAND franchise outside of its homeland in Denmark.  Having first worked on projects in the UK (LEGOLAND Windsor opened in 1996) he project managed the first US LEGOLAND Park, based in California; before moving into general park management first in Germany and then back in California.

John joined Merlin’s senior management team as part of the acquisition of LEGOLAND Parks in 2005, and as Managing Director LEGOLAND Parks oversaw both the continued development of the Group's existing LEGOLAND Parks into successful short break resorts for families with young children; and the identification and planning for new LEGOLAND parks around the world, including the opening of LEGOLAND resorts in Florida and Malaysia.



John Jakobsen

Justin was appointed Chief Strategy Officer in 2018 after three years as Managing Director, Resort Theme Parks. Justin initially joined Merlin in 2011 as Marketing Director within Resort Theme Parks.

With over 25 years’ experience across a range of international organisations, Justin brings a robust approach to strategy development, business execution and the understanding and delivery of consumer needs. As Chief Strategy Officer, he is focused on maximizing the significant prospects available to Merlin by informing, shaping and driving the Company’s global strategy in the context of an ever-evolving market backdrop.

With a career spanning GlaxoSmithKline, Kellogg’s and [AstraZeneca](/org/astrazeneca), Justin has held a number of senior roles leading the development and growth of a range of brands in the UK and on a global basis.

Justin Platt

Scott O’Neil has more than 25 years of experience in leading and managing global sports and entertainment brands.  With a reputation for innovation, an eye for strategic and global brand development and partnerships, and a passion for culture and talent development, O’Neil has stewarded some of the sports and entertainment industry’s most renowned and iconic brands and properties, including the NBA’s New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers; the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, the NHL’s New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils; and the internationally ranked sports and entertainment arenas, Madison Square Garden and Prudential Center.

His mission to build innovative, inspiring, diverse, socially impactful and high performing businesses and brands earned the organizations under O’Neil’s management acclaim in innovation and culture. He recently published a life leadership book entitled, ‘Be Where Your Feet Are’ published St. Martins Press.

O’Neil earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Villanova University, and his master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

Merlin Entertainments

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CEO and Executive Team

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