Six Flags announced they’ve found their new CEO to succeed Jim Reid-Anderson as he retires. The park chain appointed Mike Spanos as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective on November 18, 2019. Spanos comes from PepsiCo, where he was CEO of PepsiCo, Asia, Middle East and North Africa (AMENA), a segment of Pepsi with $6 billion in revenue.
“I am thrilled to join the dedicated and talented employees of Six Flags,” said Mr. Spanos. “Jim has built an amazing legacy, and I look forward to the next horizon of growth. It is a privilege to be able to lead such a superb organization.”
Jim Reid-Anderson said of his successor, “As a major investor in Six Flags, I have the utmost confidence in Mike’s ability to further supercharge our growth initiatives, continue to drive innovation, and deliver significant short, medium and long-term value for our stakeholders.”
Reid-Anderson leaves Six Flags after serving as CEO from 2010-2016, and then taking over again in 2017. During the period Six Flags grew significantly, and re-acquired Six Flags Darien Lake and Frontier City. To coaster enthusiasts, he was probably best known for their annual announcement videos, as well as Six Flags trend of always adding a new attraction to every park every year.
Spanos has held roles at PepsiCo since 1993. Prior to that he served in the Marine Corps. While he doesn’t have theme park experience, he does have a background in international markets which could be useful for the chain as they expand overseas, like with the recent Six Flags Qiddiya park announcement.
We can only hope that Spanos will continue Jim Reid-Anderson’s great announcement video tradition.
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