Shazam boss joins Merlin Entertainment

Legoland and Alton Towers operator Merlin Entertainment has appointed Andrew Fisher, current chairman and former CEO of Apple's Shazam music business, as a director.

Fisher, who is also non-executive director of FTSE 350 groups Marks & Spencer and MoneySupermarket.com, has been appointed in a non-executive role and will join the group's audit and remuneration committees.

Merlin, which recently launched new ranges of theme parks based around the Peppa Pig and Bear Grylls brands, said Fisher's appointment was designed to broaden the board's "sector, geographic and governance experience, with his particular expertise in digital and technology markets".

Prior to joining Shazam in 2005 as CEO and ascending to chairman before the takeover by Apple in 2017, Fisher was European managing director at Infospace which bought TDLI.com, where he was founder and managing director.

Merlin chairman Sir John Sunderland expressed the customary delight in welcoming his new colleague and added: "Andrew brings with him a wealth of experience in digital consumer and technology markets which will prove invaluable as Merlin increasingly focuses resources and efforts in this area."