Fiona Eastwood, 55, pictured above, has been in the driver’s seat at Merlin Entertainment since February, steering the company through an exciting yet challenging transformative storm. As a married mother of just one, she understands how important it is to tailor vibrant experiences to families. At Merlin’s attractions, she aggressively preached this gospel.
Eastwood, who began her career as a business development manager at the Imperial War Museum. Each of these experiences would later inform her approach to leadership. Throughout her journey, she has held onto a piece of advice that resonates deeply with her: “Leadership starts with curiosity.” This creative spirit still guides her today, as she faces the ebbs and flows of hurricanes and pandemics within this fast-paced phase that is the theme park world.
In 2024, Merlin Entertainment welcomed almost 63 million guests to its locations. Last year, the firm faced some deep fiscal strife. It announced record yearly revenues just north of £2 billion, but an operating loss of £132 million. These seasonal trends fundamentally shape how Merlin operates, and Eastwood understands that. He focuses on maximizing the high demand periods to increase revenue.
This year, Merlin has seen a real change in the balance of visitors, with Halloween events becoming equally as profitable as summer. Events like Scarefest at Alton Towers and Fright Nights at Thorpe Park have been booming successes. Eastwood is convinced that these seasonal attractions are absolutely necessary to get guests into the park on a year-round basis.
“We saw a bump, and we saw demand, and we saw people wanting to spend,” – Fiona Eastwood
Eastwood believes a day out at one of Merlin’s UK attractions would make the perfect counterbalance to so much additional screen time. In an era where home-based entertainment often dominates, he thinks outdoor experiences are key. She’s a fierce champion of the importance of enjoying time as families and friends in nature together.
“The moments to be together are increasingly precious, and what we provide is quite distinct,” – Fiona Eastwood
Merlin has made meaningful investments in improving visitor experience to demonstrate their commitment to these new experiences. The candy company announced today that it will spend £85 million creating some pretty sweet immersive experiences. This could take the form of themed rides, restaurants, and hotels in the UK and US during 2026 and 2027. This development, apart from giving credence to Eastwood’s vision of a traditional theme park with unique offerings that stimulate visitors intellectually, creatively, and emotionally, is pretty remarkable.
Though Eastwood is excited about all that Merlin has in store, she tries not to hide her fears when discussing some of the rides.
“I’m not a big fan of Nemesis,” – Fiona Eastwood
Instead, she favors newer attractions such as Wicker Man, stating, “My favourite’s actually Wicker Man, I love Wicker Man.”
Eastwood has long been at the helm of Hospitality UK as a member of their independent board. He’s now a vocal advocate for continued fiscal relief in the hospitality industry. From there, the organization is aggressively advocating to see VAT lowered from 20% to 12.5%. They contend that this policy shift would increase recovery and economic development within the industry.
“What we really want is a growth-led Budget,” – Fiona Eastwood