Emma Pankhurst

Chief People Officer, Merlin Entertainments

Poole, United Kingdom

Emma Pankhurst was appointed Chief People Officer of Merlin Entertainments in March 2025, after eight years at the business including as Global People Director and Global HR Operations Director. She leads Merlin's global People function, covering talent acquisition, learning and development, and reward, with a stated focus on delivering a consistent employee experience across Merlin's largely frontline, seasonal workforce. Before joining Merlin she held HR leadership roles at Sodexo, Santander UK and Marks and Spencer.

Expertise

• Human Resources
• Talent Acquisition
• Employee Experience
• Learning and Development