Nick Varney
{{short description|British businessman (born 1962)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
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| birth_name = Nicholas John Varney
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1962}}
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| occupation = Businessman
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Sir Nicholas John Varney (born 1962Chris Blackhurs (10 March 2010) [https://www.standard.co.uk/business/merlin-entertainments-cashes-in-with-a-monopoly-on-london-attractions-6788066.html Merlin Entertainments cashes in with a ‘monopoly’ on London attractions – Business – London Evening Standard]. London Evening Standard. Retrieved 9 July 2013.) is a British businessman who was the chief executive officer of attractions operator Merlin Entertainments. He held this position from 1999 until 2022.
Biography
Varney attended the London School of Economics before becoming a junior marketer in the mid-1980s, later progressing to senior roles. He has over 24 years experience in the visitor attractions industry and was appointed chief executive officer of Merlin Entertainments in 1999. He was later appointed a Director of the company on 20 October 2013.Merlin Entertainments [http://www.merlinentertainments.biz/executive-profiles-nick-varney Executive Profiles: Nick Varney]. Merlin Entertainments
Nick started his career in marketing, first with Rowntree and then with Reckitt Colman. He went on to hold senior positions within The Tussauds Group, including marketing director of Alton Towers and Head of Group Marketing,{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} before becoming managing director of Vardon Attractions and a main board director of Vardon. In 1999, Nick led the management buyout of Vardon Attractions, majority owned by funds managed or advised by Apax Partners, to form Merlin Entertainments and, following subsequent private equity funded secondary buyouts, initiated the process which led to its acquisition by the Blackstone Group.{{cite web|url=http://blackstone.com/news-views/press-releases/details/blackstone-acquires-merlin-entertainment|title=Blackstone Acquires Merlin Entertainment|work=blackstone.com|accessdate=30 March 2015}}
In 2011, he stated his belief that free admission to British museums and art galleries were primarily used by "foreign tourists and middle class people who can afford it."Alistair Osborne (16 October 2011) [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/8830325/Cutting-VAT-on-hotels-could-create-80000-jobs.html Cutting VAT on hotels could create 80,000 jobs]. The Daily Telegraph In business circles, he is widely seen as an aggressive marketer and was quoted in 2011, as saying "if you can get out of our attractions without buying tickets for the others, well, good luck."Ruth Mortimer (23 June 2011) [http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/analysis/cover-stories/the-man-on-a-quest-to-spread-merlins-magic/3027720.article The man on a quest to spread Merlin's magic]. Marketing Week
In 2013 Nick Varney was awarded an honorary doctorate by Staffordshire University "In recognition of his considerable business success on a global scale."[http://www.staffs.ac.uk/events/graduation/2013/honoraries/nick_varney/index.jsp Staffordshire University Graduates 2013 – Nick Varney awarded doctorate]. staffs.ac.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
On 29 April 2022, it was announced that Varney would be retiring from the company and he left in November 2022.{{Cite web |title=Merlin Entertainments Nick Varney, Chief Executive Officer, to retire |url=https://www.merlinentertainments.biz/newsroom/news-releases/2022/merlin-entertainments-nick-varney-chief-executive-officer-to-retire/ |access-date=2022-04-29 |website=www.merlinentertainments.biz |language=en}}
Varney was knighted in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to the visitor economy.{{London Gazette|issue=64082|supp=y|page=B2|date=17 June 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.merlinentertainments.biz/}}
{{Blackstone Companies}}
{{Merlin attractions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varney, Nick}}
Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics
Category:British entertainment industry businesspeople
Category:Businesspeople awarded knighthoods