Richard provides strategic leadership to Experience UK, working closely with the CEO, Executive Board and wider team to support good governance, strengthen industry relationships and help shape the organisation’s long-term direction.

Ian leads Experience UK’s strategy and day-to-day direction, working with the team, Executive Board, members and partners to champion the UK experience economy, unlock new opportunities and strengthen the organisation’s impact in the UK and internationally.

Adil leads member recruitment and retention, building strong relationships across the Experience UK community and helping members access the connections, opportunities and support they need to grow.

Ruth supports Experience UK’s membership growth, drawing on her extensive industry experience and global network to build relationships, identify new opportunities and welcome more organisations into our community.

Paul Thorman develops commercial partnerships and media opportunities that strengthen Experience UK’s reach, create value for members and connect organisations with the wider experience economy.

Brian Fisher delivers Experience UK’s marketing plan, leading campaigns, content and digital communications that promote our work, showcase our members and strengthen the organisation’s profile across the experience economy.

Zara works with our members to gather and coordinate content for our various campaigns, ensuring their work, expertise and achievements are effectively represented across our communications.

Ellie supports the smooth day-to-day running of Experience UK, providing essential administrative support to our members and our team and helping ensure our activities, communications and member services are delivered effectively.

Jamie supports Experience UK’s day-to-day financial administration, helping to manage invoicing, payments and financial records while ensuring our accounts processes run smoothly and efficiently.

After a sparkling career as a freelance writer, with work appearing in the International Herald Tribune, the Guardian, many travel publications and (a highlight) Judy, Richard started to help British companies export. After a stint doing economic and political risk analysis, he helped a UK consortium fail to win a major railway project in Guangzhou. Better results followed in the Gulf, where he assisted sales of sand, camels, palm trees and oil to Arab buyers. For the last few years he has been trying to convince the world that the experience economy is not a figment of Joe Pine’s imagination. Clubs: Arsenal, Surrey Cricket, Dallas Cowboys, Racing Club (Buenos Aires).

With over 25 years of experience, Ian has worked closely with businesses in experience economy to drive growth both domestically and internationally. As CEO, Ian oversees the strategic direction of the association, championing the interests of member companies and facilitating access to global opportunities. His role involves forging partnerships with industry stakeholders, advocating for the sector’s needs at a policy level, and ensuring members receive vital insights and support to enhance their competitiveness. Under his leadership, Experience UK has become a vital hub for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and market expansion, empowering businesses to make a lasting impact in the global experience economy.

Rozmin leads the UK Government’s work to support the international growth of the experience economy. Through the Department for Business and Trade, she helps UK businesses operating across attractions, museums, heritage and immersive experiences access global opportunities, build international partnerships and showcase their expertise in key markets. Rozmin brings valuable insight into international trade, government engagement and the opportunities shaping the sector worldwide.

Emily provides strategic oversight of Experience UK’s brand development, stakeholder engagement, media relations and digital communications. Drawing on her extensive marketing and PR expertise, she helps strengthen our profile, deepen relationships with members and partners, and ensure our communications support organisational growth, commercial opportunities and our long-term strategic ambitions.

Dawn Foote is Co-founder and CEO of Katapult which she founded with her business partners in 2001. Since then Dawn has built a team of entertainment industry specialists into a worldwide creative studio designing themed attractions and experiences. Dawn has a wealth of experience in guest destination, the cultural sector and strategic collaborations.

Dawn has worked with IP owners such as LEGO, BBC, Cartoon Network and Dreamworks and has personally activated projects in the Middle East, delivered globally with Merlin Entertainments, as well as locally with The Wildlife Trust.

Emily Smith brings 25 years of expertise in market and audience development for the cultural and museum sectors, with a career spanning prestigious institutions such as the Natural History Museum, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Atlantic Productions, Royal Court Theatre, and the National Gallery. She has delivered innovative projects including digital and VR experiences, such as SUE the T. rex for Chicago’s Field Museum and Space Descent VR with Tim Peake for London’s Science Museum. At the Natural History Museum, Emily spearheaded exhibitions, digital strategy, and marketing initiatives, including David Attenborough’s First Life VR and the groundbreaking Natural History Museum Alive 3D partnership with Sky and Atlantic Productions.

David has over forty years’ experience in the industry in an extraordinarily diverse range of projects. He began his working life at the National Motor Museum Beaulieu, England in 1977, creating and running an Audio-Visual Department to maintain all the AV and interactive equipment in the Museum.

He founded DJW in 1986, the company steadily expanding with a talented and loyal team. David has never once stopped getting involved at the ground level of projects and wanting to know how something works!

David has been actively involved with the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and served for seven years on the European and Middle Eastern Board, the last two as President of the division. David was elected to the International Board and made TEA President in November 2016 for a two-year term.

The TEA affords David even more opportunity to enhance his knowledge of the industry and techniques used for creating innovative and exciting visitor experiences at all levels.

Lizzy is an independent museum consultant with over 15 years’ experience developing cultural and heritage experiences, international partnerships and global strategies. Her career includes senior roles at the British Museum and Natural History Museum, alongside consultancy work for organisations including the Southbank Centre, Science Museum Group and Wellcome Collection.

Lizzy represents Experience UK within Creative UK’s Trade Body Network, helping ensure the experience economy and our members are represented in wider creative industry discussions.

Paul has worked on projects around the world, that have won industry awards and acclaim from the millions of guests that have experienced them. These roles have covered the whole gambit from designer through to site level management, across a range of market sectors, including corporate communications, retail environments, museums, science centres, theme parks, World EXPOs and live shows. Paul has been part of multiple trade missions to the middle east and other regions, to help secure work for the UK companies working within the Experience Economy Sector. He is a frequent speaker about the industry and champion of using technology well with in the sector.

With 30 years of experience, Julie provides strategic direction to clients in leisure and placemaking projects across Europe, the Middle East, and the USA. She helps organisations turn ideas into action, developing business plans, expansion strategies, and sourcing key partners such as operators and investors.

Julie has worked with top clients including Aareal Bank, Hammerson, LandSec, BNP Paribas, Gravity, NAMCO, and the International Council of Shopping Centres. She is also an international advisor to the European Cancer Organisation and Chair of the Revo Educational Trust.

Julie’s expertise lies in turning creative concepts into successful, operational projects, ensuring growth through the right partnerships and market insights. She will work with Experience UK to leverage her extensive network and knowledge.

With 35 years of experience in the themed entertainment, manufacturing, and construction sectors, Richard has held roles as a project manager, small business owner, and business development leader. He has worked on major visitor attractions with top brands like Disney and Universal Studios and played a key role in the construction of theme parks including Euro Disney, Motiongate, and the upcoming Universal Epic Universe.

Richard has developed business across the USA, Middle East, Europe, and Japan and is an “Export Champion” for the Department of Business and Trade, with a focus on helping UK companies expand internationally. He has also served on the Themed Entertainment Industry board for six years, fostering collaboration and networking within the sector.

Richard’s goal is to promote the UK experience economy overseas, grow membership, and lobby for a new Universal Theme Park in the UK to benefit Experience UK members.

Jim leads Experience UK’s focus on museums, arts and culture. With senior experience spanning the Natural History Museum, the British Museum and leading cultural consultancies, he supports the growth of our membership across the sector and helps shape a programme of events, trade missions and commercial opportunities for museums, cultural organisations and the specialist supply chains that bring them to life.

I’m a recovering freelancer (Artangel, Siobhan Davies Dance, the Old Vic Tunnels) who fell into insurance. Re-decorating a smoke-damaged railway tunnel, I met my future wife and my new trade, and spent the next fifteen years managing complex claims for insurers around the world, from rhinos to West End shows, natural catastrophes and wars. For such a ‘boring’ industry, I have rarely been bored. Two years ago I started Fazan & Co, an independent consultancy for the experience economy. It does the job of an in-house insurance manager, without the salary. Immersive theatre, as was, gave me friendships, a marriage, children and a business. I’m delighted to give something back through Experience UK.