Six Flags announces CEO succession plan

Richard A. Zimmerman to step down as Six Flags CEO by the end of 2025, will continue to serve as CEO until a successor is appointed.

Wednesday, 06 August 2025

Six Flags Press Release

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) (“Six Flags” or the “Company”), the largest regional amusement park operator in North America, today announced that Richard A. Zimmerman, president and chief executive officer (“CEO”) and member of the Six Flags Board of Directors (the “Board”), will step down as the Company’s president and CEO by the end of 2025.

To ensure leadership continuity and a smooth transition, Zimmerman will continue to serve as president and CEO until the Board has appointed a successor. He will also continue to serve as a director on the Company’s Board. The Six Flags Board of Directors has initiated a process to identify the Company’s next CEO with the assistance of a leading global executive search firm, and both internal and external candidates will be considered.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Richard for his leadership and contributions since the successful merger of the legacy Cedar Fair and Six Flags companies last July, and for his unwavering passion and dedication to our industry over the last 38 years,” said Selim Bassoul, executive chairman of the Board. “As CEO, Richard has successfully led Six Flags through a period of significant evolution, with a clear vision to optimize the Company to deliver greater value to our guests, associates, and our shareholders. Despite recent economic uncertainty and weather headwinds, we are confident Six Flags has the right strategy in place to drive meaningful long-term growth and achieve our objectives of increasing Adjusted EBITDA, reducing net leverage, and successfully delivering on integration efforts to create value for shareholders.”

“The Company has significantly evolved since I first joined what was then Paramount Parks, Inc. in 1987, and it has been an honor to have led such talented teams through critical and transformative periods over the years – not only for our company, but for the entire amusement park industry,” said Zimmerman. “Since completing the merger of legacy Cedar Fair and legacy Six Flags a little more than a year ago, we have made significant progress on our integration efforts and cost synergy goals. That said, there remains an immense opportunity to further optimize the portfolio and unlock the full value of the Company’s unique assets and intellectual property. We are reaching more guests than ever before and continuing to advance our strategic priorities, which I am confident will enable Six Flags to drive tremendous value creation over the long term. Together we have built a global leader in family entertainment with a resilient business model and bright prospects, and I look forward to supporting the team to help ensure the Company achieves its full potential.”

“The Board and management team are committed to ensuring a smooth transition, and we are grateful that we’ll continue to benefit from Richard’s experience and perspective throughout this process,” continued Bassoul. “The Board will work closely with Richard to conduct a thorough and comprehensive search to identify the best individual to lead Six Flags into the future. We are focused on identifying a strong leader with a proven track record of operating successfully at scale while defining and executing a growth strategy driven by innovation, operational excellence, and world-class talent development.”