Dubai Parks And Resorts Appoints Seven-Member Management Team

Dubai Parks and Resorts, the company developing a Dhs10 billion mega theme park complex in Dubai, announced that it has appointed a seven-member senior management team to oversee the project.

The company, which raised Dhs2.5 billion after listing on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) last year, said that the new senior management team will ensure budgets are kept in check and timelines are on track for the development to open in October 2016.

Paul La France, who has previously worked with Walt Disney and Universal Studios, has been appointed as the chief projects officer; Matthew Priddy, also from Walt Disney, has been made chief technical officer; and Sandesh Pandhare has been appointed chief financial and investment officer.

The other appointments include Stanford Pinto as chief parks operating officer; Vinit Shah as chief destination management officer; Aida Hamza as SVP of Business Support; and Klaus Assmann as VP of Retail and Hospitality.

Raed Al Nuaimi, CEO of Dubai Parks and Resorts, said, “The management team brings significant experience in their respective fields and will ensure that we have the right structures and processes in place to deliver this landmark project on time.”

Located in Jebel Ali between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the overall Dubai Parks & Resorts project will have three main theme parks namely Hollywood-themed Motiongate Dubai, Legoland Dubai and Bollywood Parks Dubai.

The mega project will also feature Riverpark – a grand entrance plaza and Lapita, a family themed hotel.

Dubai Parks & Resorts has signed operator agreements with Parque Reunidos Servicios Centrales, Merlin Entertainments and the Marriott Group for the project.

Scheduled for completion in 2016, the project is expected to attract five million visitors and expects to earn revenues worth Dhs2.4 billion during its first year of its operation.