Linda Zou has been hired to help drive the growth of Merlin’s global portfolio / Image: Merlin Entertainments
Global attractions company Merlin Entertainments has appointed Linda Zou as chief strategy officer.
Zou – who was previously managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group – will report directly to Merlin CEO Scott O’Neil and work closely with the rest of the leadership team on designing and executing the company’s strategic vision. Her role will also involve leading key programmes to accelerate growth and improve effectiveness within the business.
“This is a dynamic time for the leisure and entertainment industry,” said Zou.
“Customer sentiment and tourism patterns are evolving. New technologies bring new opportunities for innovative guest experiences. Advanced analytics tools can make it easier for frontline teams to respond effectively to the market.
“I’m excited about the opportunities ahead for Merlin, as we bring more data-driven insight to enhance our guest experience, strengthen our core commercial capabilities across the portfolio, and expand our avenues for growth.”
“As Merlin transforms into a premium positioned, innovative and data driven company focused on driving enterprise value, we’ll continue building capabilities to be world class in dynamic pricing, optimising trade, exploring the future of branded accommodation, maximising retail opportunities and investing in technology to drive efficiencies,” said O’Neil.
“Linda is the perfect executive to lead our organic growth plans and ambitious plans and trajectory. She’s intellectually curious, a driving force of will and has proven to be an extraordinary teammate.
“She will be an instant value add to Merlin as she brings a wealth of experience and expertise in strategy, innovation, and transformation in the retail and travel sectors which translates directly into our business and allows her to hit the ground running.”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
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Museums: Josh Kirk
As Copenhagen’s Home of Carlsberg relaunches after a five year revamp, the project design lead tells us how ground-breaking technology was used to bring the brand to life
Technology: AI – friend or foe?
How can attractions best exploit AI technologies? What are the dangers? What does the future hold? We get an expert opinion
Technology: Future shock
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Linda Zou has been hired to help drive the growth of Merlin’s global portfolio / Image: Merlin Entertainments
Global attractions company Merlin Entertainments has appointed Linda Zou as chief strategy officer.
Zou – who was previously managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group – will report directly to Merlin CEO Scott O’Neil and work closely with the rest of the leadership team on designing and executing the company’s strategic vision. Her role will also involve leading key programmes to accelerate growth and improve effectiveness within the business.
“This is a dynamic time for the leisure and entertainment industry,” said Zou.
“Customer sentiment and tourism patterns are evolving. New technologies bring new opportunities for innovative guest experiences. Advanced analytics tools can make it easier for frontline teams to respond effectively to the market.
“I’m excited about the opportunities ahead for Merlin, as we bring more data-driven insight to enhance our guest experience, strengthen our core commercial capabilities across the portfolio, and expand our avenues for growth.”
“As Merlin transforms into a premium positioned, innovative and data driven company focused on driving enterprise value, we’ll continue building capabilities to be world class in dynamic pricing, optimising trade, exploring the future of branded accommodation, maximising retail opportunities and investing in technology to drive efficiencies,” said O’Neil.
“Linda is the perfect executive to lead our organic growth plans and ambitious plans and trajectory. She’s intellectually curious, a driving force of will and has proven to be an extraordinary teammate.
“She will be an instant value add to Merlin as she brings a wealth of experience and expertise in strategy, innovation, and transformation in the retail and travel sectors which translates directly into our business and allows her to hit the ground running.”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2024 issue 1
Interview: Fons Jurgens
Big changes are coming for much-loved Dutch theme park Efteling, with the launch of a Grand Hotel and major new attraction. Its CEO lets us into the plans
Museums: Ones to watch
Some seriously exciting new museums are taking shape across the globe. We highlight some of our favourites
Museums: Josh Kirk
As Copenhagen’s Home of Carlsberg relaunches after a five year revamp, the project design lead tells us how ground-breaking technology was used to bring the brand to life
Technology: AI – friend or foe?
How can attractions best exploit AI technologies? What are the dangers? What does the future hold? We get an expert opinion
Technology: Future shock
What can we learn from operators currently using AI? Lesley Morisetti gets some tips from early adopters
Museums: Jacqueline Springer
V&A East Museum will celebrate Black British music in its first exhibition. Its curator tells us more
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism inv
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