Marston’s has appointed Merlin Entertainments CEO Nick Varney as a non-executive director, with effect from 1 July 2022.
Varney will also join the remuneration committee and nomination committee from the same date.
Varney has more than 30 years’ experience in the leisure industry and was appointed as chief executive of Merlin in 1999.
He started his career in consumer good marketing, initially with Nestle Rowntree and then with Reckitt & Colman, before going on to hold senior positions within The Tussauds Group, prior to becoming managing director at Vardon Attractions in 1995.
In 1999, he led the management buyout of Vardon Attractions to form Merlin Entertainments, driving the company’s dynamic growth strategy through several private equity partnerships and a successful IPO in 2013 as a FTSE250 constituent company through to its subsequent privatisation in 2019.
William Rucker, chair of Marston’s, said: “Under his stewardship, Merlin Entertainments has become a world-class international business with customer experience at its core, delivering digital transformation through customer-friendly platforms.
“This, together with his brand-building insight and expertise in building a diverse portfolio of family-based leisure brands and attractions, will be invaluable to Marston’s at this exciting juncture. We very much look forward to working with Nick and benefitting from his highly complementary skillset.”
Marston’s has also appointed Sam Wignell as operations director – premium food. Wignell was previously chief customer officer at S4Labour, and before than brand operations director at Boparan Restaurant Group, and chief operating officer at Harris + Hoole.
