USA: Selim Bassoul New Six Flags CEO Effective Immediately

Selim Bassoul, who succeeded Richard Roedel as Non-Executive Chairman of Six Flags in January (see EAP news of 11 Jan 2021), was now appointed new CEO of the group, which operates 27 theme parks in the USA, Mexico and Canada, effective immediately. Bassoul succeeds Mike Spanos, who held the position for two your (see EAP news of 25 Oct 2019) but has now stepped down as CEO, president and member of the board.

“We are thrilled that Selim has agreed to help lead Six Flags into a new era of growth. His long and exceptional track record as a public company CEO, his experience, entrepreneurial spirit, and inspiring personality make Selim the perfect CEO for Six Flags at this moment in time. We are particularly excited about his proven ability to motivate teams, to delight customers, and to drive financial performance. In addition, the Board would like to thank Mike Spanos for his tireless efforts as he successfully shepherded Six Flags through an exceptionally challenging time through the COVID crisis, including the safe reopening of all our parks. As we indicated on our earnings call on October 27th, our fourth quarter attendance trends have accelerated compared to the third quarter, and we look forward to building on that momentum into 2022 and beyond,” said Ben Baldanza, who succeds Bassoul as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.  

Bassoul comments: “I am honored to serve as the next CEO of Six Flags, and I am excited to bring the magic back to our parks. We are a company led by a purpose to make a positive and meaningful impact on everyone Six Flags touches. I will do my best to enable our people to fulfill their passion to make a difference, and to harness their creativity to build on a shared vision for guest satisfaction and financial growth. I am passionate about empowering employees and serving our customers, and together with our team, I know we can set up Six Flags for a new level of success in the months and years ahead.” (eap)