Euro Disney S.C.A, the holding company responsible for Disneyland Resort Paris, announced today the nomination of Tom Wolber to the position of Président of the three companies responsible for the day-to-day management of Disneyland Resort Paris, which is the number one tourist attraction in Europe. He will be replacing Phillipe Gas who was named as General Manager for Shanghai Disney Resort.
“One of our greatest assets is the global strength of our teams,” said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “Both Philippe and Tom are seasoned Disney veterans with a tremendous combination of leadership skills, business acumen, and international experience that will help ensure that we carry on our legacy of creating unforgettable experiences for our guests. They bring an incredible depth of operational experience to their respective roles and are well positioned to contribute to the future success of Shanghai Disney Resort and Disneyland Resort Paris”.
“On behalf of all Supervisory Board members, I would like to thank Philippe for the excellent collaboration we had together and for his personal involvement in Euro Disney during the last 6 years”, said Virginie Calmels, chairman of Euro Disney Supervisory Board. “We are very proud that The Walt Disney Company has chosen Philippe, a French top executive, to lead a huge and strategic project such as Shanghai Disney Resort. We also welcome Tom and wish him a lot of success in his new function”.
Tom is German and speaks 4 languages: French, Dutch, English and German. He returns to Disneyland Paris, which he helped to open in 1992 and brings more than 20 years of wide-ranging operations experience including leadership positions at Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club and both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Paris. He most recently served as the head of Walt Disney World Resort and Transportation Operations, overseeing all of the 28 resort hotels and the property’s extensive transportation network. He has also overseen a number of complex expansion projects, including the successful launch of the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy and was instrumental in the Disney Springs master plan and the continued growth of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts’ sports business.
For the coming month, Tom and Phillipe will work together at the resort which is located in Marne-la-Vallée, some 32 km (or 20 miles) east of the centre of Paris, with Tom’s role officially commencing from 1 September 2014. The transitional period will allow for Phillipe to pass on vital knowledge and for the pair to discuss the long term strategic objectives of Disneyland Resort Paris.
