Ben Thompson has spent the last 25 years in marketing, strategy and new business development roles in major global organisations. A graduate of the accelerated management training program at Mars Inc, Ben spent 11 years at the company including the last 3 years as Director of Category Leadership. In 2011 Ben moved to the Walt Disney company where in under 5 years he rose to become Marketing Director for Retail EMEA, leading the region’s marketing strategy on Star Wars VII, Marvel, Frozen, and several Pixar titles. In 2015 Ben moved to Merlin Entertainments as Global Marketing Director, New Openings where he had responsibility for the launches of 4 LEGOLAND® parks and 40 Indoor attractions. This included the development of new brands; Little Big City, the Bear Grylls Adventure and Peppa Pig World. In 2018 Ben founded his own strategy consultancy and enjoyed great success working with clients including KidZania, Tony’s Chocolonely, the Cataratas Group and Europa Park. Ben joined Storyland Studios as Chief Strategy Officer and Head of International in August 2020 and runs Storyland’s International office just outside London. In this role Ben handles all Storyland’s relationships with global IP partners, and was the lead executive responsible for the partnership with Ubisoft Entertainment.
Ben’s Projects
Ubisoft Entertainment
FORGING A LANDMARK PARTNERSHIP TO BRING VIDEO GAME WORLDS TO LIFE
At Storyland Studios, Ben spearheaded the partnership with Ubisoft Entertainment, leading the charge on creating immersive theme park experiences inspired by some of the world’s most beloved gaming franchises.
Tony’s Chocolonely
CREATING A CHOCOLATE-THEMED IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH A POWERFUL MISSION
Ben worked with Tony’s Chocolonely, the ethical chocolate company, to develop an immersive brand experience that educates and engages visitors in Tony’s mission to create a 100% slave-free chocolate industry through story-driven, interactive experiences.
Ben’s Projects at Previous Firms
LEGOLAND® Parks
DRIVING GLOBAL EXPANSION WITH FOUR NEW LEGOLAND® PARK OPENINGS
As Global Marketing Director, New Openings at Merlin Entertainments, Ben led the strategic planning and execution behind the launches of four LEGOLAND® parks, expanding the beloved brand into new regions and elevating guest engagement worldwide.
Madame Tussauds
ELEVATING AN ICONIC BRAND THROUGH NEW MARKET EXPANSION
During his tenure at Merlin, Ben contributed to Madame Tussauds’ strategic expansion, helping evolve the brand’s appeal through innovative marketing and new attraction openings.
