Keith Thomas Email & Phone Number

Tavistock, Devon, Gb

Established in 2003 as a leisure business consultancy with a particular focus on feasibility assessments, operational consultancy, master planning, and on the management of the development of projects in the leisure and hospitality industries in general and of visitor attractions specifically. Keith is co-founder & CEO of the company. Responsibilities include management and growth of the consultancy business; Running consulting projects to establish viability of new ventures on behalf of clients; master planning and project managing the development of visitor attractions in locations across the UK, Europe and internationally; offering operational consultancy and interim management services to attraction projects. Development of a highly able network of associates and associated companies who routinely supplement the core Petersham Group team on a per project basis. More recently, positioning Petersham Group as leisure business and planning specialists in larger project teams working together with architects, designers and master planners.Also serving as Managing Director of aquarium company, reefLIVE, a new generation aquarium concept that will see immersive digital experiences extend and supplement the live exhibits found in more traditional aquaria. Planning consent has been achieved for the first project in Belfast and a second location is under discussion. Regularly invited to speak at leisure industry conferences, his views are much sought by colleagues in the sector and he regularly blogs on leading industry websites such as @Blooloop and is a jurist for their Innovation Awards and their Zoo & Aquarium Awards. Keith is a guest lecturer for the postgraduate MA Tourism Business at the University of Exeter, teaching the consultancy module of the course.

Grant Leisure Group was one of the leading leisure business consultancies in the sector during this period, responsible for projects ranging from theme parks to national museum collections. In addition to carrying out a series of consultancy projects, I was involved in the acquisition of Real Live Leisure Ltd., an operating company with two aquarium attractions in the UK and subsequently, responsbile for their management (RLL was later sold to Parques Reunidos)

Director of one of the largest operators of leisure and visitor attractions (now Merlin Entertainments), responsible with my team in the Development Department for identification, assessment, development and opening of new locations for the attraction brands owned by the group throughout the company and for updating and upgrading existing attractions in the group, principally Sea Life Centre Aquariums and the various Dungeon attractions.

General Manager and Development Manager responsible for a series of Sea Life Centre aquarium developments in the UK and in Europe

Bsc (Hons), Biology

Bsc Hons 2 (I), Biology (Specialising In Marine Biology)