IAAPA Global Board of Directors for 2025 Elected
(eap) The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) announced its new board of directors for 2025 during the IAAPA Expo Europe in Amsterdam last week. Six new members will take up their tasks on December 1 this year to actively support the international association.
Christopher Perry, Executive Director of Entertainment Strategy at Qiddiya Investment Company, was elected Second Vice Chair. He will serve in this role until 2025, rising to First Vice Chair in 2026 and eventually becoming Chair of the Board of Directors in 2027. Andreas Andersen, CEO and President of the Liseberg Group, who has over two decades of expertise in the attractions industry and holds a Master’s degree in law as well as a post-graduate degree in accounting and business administration, will take on the role of Treasurer until 2027.
Omid Aminifard, COO & General Manager of the Santa Cruz Seaside Company & Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral Group, were elected as Facility Directors. Aminifard already has a ten-year history with IAAPA as chairman and committee member, and has more than 30 years of experience in the leisure industry. Al Zaabi, on the other hand, has played a key role in establishing Miral as the leading developer of immersive entertainment experiences on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. In 2026, the IAAPA Expo Middle East will debut in Abu Dhabi as a new and additional show format, as was announced at the IEE in Amsterdam.
Furthermore, Geoff Chutter, founder and CEO of water attraction manufacturer WhiteWater West, was elected Manufacturer/ Supplier/ Consultant (MSC) Director. Chutter also has a long history with IAAPA and can draw on his global industry experience and understanding of the needs of IAAPA members, both attraction operators and suppliers to the industry. In addition, Rene Aziz, CEO of Mexico-based Grupo Divertido and former IAAPA Chairman (2000), was also elected to the IAAPA Board of Directors. His industry knowledge, which spans more than four decades, and his perspectives on the Latin American and Caribbean regions will play a key role in his contributions to the IAAPA Board.
Massimiliano Freddi, founder and Managing Director of Wonderwood, will lead the global attractions industry association as next Chairman of the Board in 2025. Find out more about the plans and goals of our European industry colleague in an interview in EAP’s Nov/Dec magazine issue. ■
