Arlington, Texas, Friday, 10 October 2025.
Six Flags announced on Thursday that Executive Chairman Selim Bassoul and Lead Independent Director Daniel J. Hanrahan will resign from the board effective 31 December 2025, with Marilyn Spiegel stepping in as non‑executive Chair on 1 January 2026. For retail and park operations leaders, the most striking development is the formal shift from an executive to a non‑executive chair—an explicit move toward stronger board oversight separate from day‑to‑day management. The board will shrink to 10 directors, and Bassoul will remain engaged as a consultant to help deliver Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia, expected to open in the first half of 2026. Expect impacts on strategic oversight, investor relations and continuity of transformation initiatives across the portfolio: governance will now likely prioritize risk management, guest‑experience consistency and clearer escalation paths for capital projects. This transition frames near‑term leadership stability while repositioning the board to guide post‑merger integration and operational execution.