PY Gerbeau is a French businessman, serial entrepreneur, university professor and Olympian. Based in the United Kingdom, he is best known as the “savior” of the Millenium Dome, famously becoming Chief Executive of the much-maligned government-built attraction and generating over six million visitors, averting a financial failure and delivering the UK’s most successful paying attraction. He has since served as Visiting Professor of Entrepreneurship and Corporate Rescue at the London Business School and Imperial College. He is currently the Chief executive officer of London Resort Company Holdings, the owner of the upcoming London Resort.
Prior to turning to business, Gerbeau was a professional ice hockey player, playing in several championships and captaining the French Olympic Ice Hockey team. He started his business career with TPS Conseil before joining Euro Disney and becoming Vice-President of Park Operations and Attraction. In this role, he was credited with turning around Euro Disney after its difficult start, transforming it into Europe’s biggest visitor attraction. He has since turned around nine businesses, establishing a £600million property portfolio as X-Leisure CEO before overseeing its sale to Land Securities.
Gerbeau obtained a masters degree in Business Administration from the Paris Institute of Political Studies. He is regarded as a guru in the leisure/retail/entertainment industry and was voted Personality of the Year by his peers in the industry. He is also a successful scratch golfer and won the Pro-Am in the Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews. He is a popular television pundit, appearing on such shows as the BBC’s The Daily Politics Show and Question Time, giving his views on the business climate and detailing how companies can best achieve success.