Neil Dwyer Named First Regional Advisory Board Chair for IAAPA MENA
Dr. Neil Dwyer // Photo: Courtesy of IAAPA
(eap) The international leisure association IAAPA has appointed Dr. Neil Dwyer (pictured here) as the first Chair of its Regional Advisory Board for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The British national currently serves as Vice President of Operations at the newly opened Six Flags Qiddiya City theme park and brings more than 20 years of experience in the global attractions industry. Over the course of his career, he has held a range of leadership roles.
His previous positions included England’s Blackpool Pleasure Beach as well as IMG Worlds of Adventure and Global Village in Dubai. With expertise spanning attraction development, operational excellence and commercial strategy, combined with a strong focus on delivering a high-quality guest experience, Dr. Dwyer is considered a suitable choice for this role. An active IAAPA member for many years, Dwyer is currently serving on both the IAAPA Board of Directors and the Global Safety & Security Committee. He will assume his new position on 1 July 2026.
“Neil’s global experience and deep operational expertise make him exceptionally well-suited to support the continued growth of the attractions industry across the MENA region,” said Luciana Periales, Chairman of the IAAPA Board of Directors. “His leadership and passion for excellence will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence and serve our members in this dynamic and rapidly evolving market.”
Only a few weeks ago, IAAPA announced its merger with MENALAC. Under the umbrella of IAAPA MENA, the association aims to support its members in the Middle East and North Africa regions more effectively through a regional office in Dubai. ■
