Since the start of his career Bart Dohmen has been active in the high-end Themed Entertainment world and has worked on many projects in many different executive roles. As an engineer Bart entered the leisure world from the technical side but got really attracted by the multidisciplinary site of the visitor attraction world. After earning a Master Degree at NIMBAS/Bradford university, Bart joined the Executive team of BRC Imagination Arts and became responsible for the European office. In this role Bart was working on projects as as the make-over of Heineken Experience, the EU pavilion at EXPO 2015, 24hr of Le Mans vistor center, World Food Center, Freej Theme Park Dubai, Floriade World fair 2012, and many other brand-center, museum and theme park projects in Europe and the Middle East

Bart has won several awards with projects he worked at. Just to mention a few:THEA Award, AV Award and the Exhibitor EXPO Award.

As a Visitor Experience veteran, Bart is frequently asked to be speaker at international events, and has been on stage at MIPIM, MAPIC, ISE, AHIC Dubai, DEAL, ICSC, IAAPA, TEA and others. Already on a young age, Bart was recognized for his talent and became Chairman of the board at the international Leisure conference TILE in 2005. He got many times interviewed for the industry magazines and more recently Bart Dohmen started to write his own articles.

Coen Bertens has more than 23 years of experience at Efteling. Efteling is a leading theme park resort in the world with more than 5 million guests annually and more than 3,000 beds in their accommodations.

The first 10 years Coen worked as a Controller. During these 10 years he earned his post-graduate master in finance. After 10 years he switched to Operations. First as Park Manager, later as Deputy Director. The last 8 years of his career at Efteling Coen was member of the Board of Directors of Efteling. The first 4 years as board member Coen was as COO responsible for the operation of the theme park and all hotel and bungalow park accommodations. The last 4 years he managed the theme park and was responsible for 2,300 employees.

During his career Coen and his team achieved a number of awards

– THEA awards for darkride Symbolica

– Brass Ring award for Polles Keuken restaurant

– Most Guest friendly company in the Netherlands

Coen Bertens is very proud of the fact that in the period 2014-2019 under his leadership the number of guests at Efteling increased from 4.4 million to 5.2 million per year, while waiting times at the attractions decreased by 7%. 

Coen is regularly attending and speaking at international leisure events around the globe.

With years of experience in the Fitness- and nutrition industry, Peter van Wijk switched careers in 2012 and started in the leisure industry, focusing on the indoor leisure sector at the Monkey Town Group with an interim job.

After the first successes, Peter joined the Monkey Town Group on a more permanent bases and was held responsible for the expansion and business development of the group. In the years following from 2012-2016 Peter opened more than 30 locations successfully and was responsible for the expansion, funding and (operational) training of these new locations.

In 2017 Peter founded the company, “24Indoor” an international indoor leisure scale-up platform that invests in the indoor leisure sector and acquired the brands Monkey Town, a group with over 55 FEC’s and Streetjump, a group of more than 10 trampoline parks and offers daily recreational activities for more than 6.000.000 visitors per year.

Throughout the years Peter has build-out an organisation of over 65 parks ( combined company owned and franchisees) in 3 countries: The Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. And the whole organisation counts more 2000 employees. In 2022 24Indoor is still one of the fasted growing companies in the indoor leisure sector in Europe, with a expansion capacity of opening between 8 and 12 successful locations every year, by buy and build strategy.

Peter is specialized in the sectors of FEC’s (family entertainment centres) , indoor playgrounds an trampoline parks and is often asked for advise by suppliers in the leisure industry, landlords and (starting) entrepreneurs for discussions such as: M&A, Business development, Pricing modelling, visitor behaviour, balancing out investment vs turnover, expansions issue’s  and the funding of projects throughout Europe.

A creative executive with over 35 years of experience, Scott Ault has worked with clients and IP partners to develop an extraordinary roster of international attractions and entertainment. World- class companies such as Walt Disney Imagineering, 20th Century Fox, Sony, DreamWorks, Marvel Entertainment, Lionsgate, BBC Worldwide, Aardman Animation, and Nickelodeon are just some of the brands Scott has helped.

Prior to joining TDAC, Scott was he Managing Partner of Railton Entertainment Design leading development and design efforts across the Middle East with clients such as Qiddiya, Seven, and Miral. 

Scott was President and CEO of Rethink Leisure & Entertainment where he oversaw the development of four entire IP-based theme parks in Europe, China and the Middle East regions.  As Chief Operating Officer of BRC Imagination Arts, one of the longest-standing and largest design firms specializing in visitor experiences Scott help transform the company into a world leader in the museum and corporate brand experience markets. During his time at BRC, Scott held the positions of Vice President of Project Development, Managing Director of European Operations, and Vice President of Creative Development.

Scott began his career in 1987 at Walt Disney Imagineering, where he was the youngest-ever show producer at the time. He has gone on to assume positions instrumental in the development, opening, and operation of highly successful projects around the world, including over a half dozen theme parks, four World Expo Pavilions, and a dozen museums and corporate visitor centers.

He believes in fostering an enjoyable project creation process (we are in the FUN business after all), mutually beneficial working relationships, and dealing honestly and ethically on all fronts.

Since the beginning of his career, Hans has combined technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship in the world of visitor attractions. With a background in mechanical engineering and an MBA specializing in marketing, product management, and business development, he focuses on projects where entertainment and information transfer come together to create high-quality infotainment, with storytelling as the guiding principle.

After ten years of entrepreneurship in the amusement park and attractions sector, during which he realized projects worldwide for Legoland, Paramount Parks, Universal, Efteling, and Plopsaland, among others, Hans sold his company in 2000. His ambition shifted from developing for others to leading and further developing a visitor attraction in which knowledge transfer is central. In 2004, driven by this vision and his passion for science and technology, he took up the position of general director at the Industrion industrial museum.

Under his leadership, Industrion grew into the leading Discovery Museum, attracting 30,000 to 170,000 visitors from home and abroad each year. One of his best-known achievements is the Earth Theater, which he designed and patented and which has been a favorite with the public for ten years now.

During his museum career, Hans advised in the Netherlands and abroad on the development and further development of attractions, such as the Ostrava Science Center (CZ), a new museum about natural gas extraction in Groningen (NL), and an aquarium project in St. Malo (F). His broad knowledge of the sector has been strengthened by his role as chairman of the European Association of Science Centers and Museums and as a member of the international think tank York Forum. Hans is a sought-after speaker at conferences such as Ecsite, ASTC, IAAPA, the VsC, and the NMV, and regularly contributes to publications and media interviews.

Now that Hans is retiring soon, he has joined TDAC as a consultant.

Ton Merkx has over 41 years of experience in various technical positions within the world of amusement parks. After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences, he began his career in 1983 at Efteling as a draughtsman/design engineer. Here, he worked on animatronics for Fata Morgana and supported the Technical Department with technical modifications and the development of new attractions. After six years, Ton was promoted to Head of Technical Services (Mechanical & Electrical Engineering), where he was responsible for introducing the first maintenance software at Efteling. In 1995, he moved to Warner Bros. Movie World in Bottrop, Germany. As Director of Operations, he was closely involved in the opening of the park in 1996, after which he took on the role of Technical Director.In 2000, Ton returned to the Netherlands as Technical Affairs Manager, where he was responsible for setting up the Technical Affairs department and the opening of Six Flags Holland (later Walibi Holland). For 16 years, he worked continuously on optimizing and professionalizing the maintenance organization.

For the last eight years of his career, Ton was Global Technical Director at Merlin Entertainments (UK), where he was responsible for the technical strategy and maintenance management of all ten LEGOLAND parks worldwide.

Expertise and specializations:

• Maintenance management of amusement parks and attractions
• Technical design, preparation, and commissioning of new attractions
• Implementation and use of maintenance software (EAM/CMMS), including Ultimo and Hexagon/Infor, at Efteling, WBMW, Walibi, and LEGOLAND parks
• Compliance, qualification, and training of technical personnel
• Optimization of workflows and processes within technical services
• Monitoring and improvement of the technical availability of attractions

Ton has been a member of the NVDO (Dutch Association for Effective Maintenance) for over 20 years and was nominated for the title of Maintenance Manager of the Year in 2014. He is also an active member of IAAPA, where he is committed to raising awareness of professional asset management within the amusement park sector.