A Passion for the Amusement Industry — and a Curiosity for What's Next

It all started in 1998, when I was asked to help develop a story-driven dark ride for EXPO 2000 in Hanover, Germany. I was still studying social sciences at the University of Duisburg-Essen, but my passion for theme parks and roller coasters had already become more than just a hobby.

My first client, the Cologne-based agency facts & fiction, trusted me, at just 21, to contribute to a project that would become one of the Expo's most popular attractions. The ride was also one of the three pavilions with the highest visitor capacity.

That experience changed everything. Like a roller coaster released at the top of the lift hill, my professional life suddenly gathered momentum.

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1998: The Beginning of Several Journeys

That same year, I became an editor for Kirmes & Park Revue, where I worked for approximately three years. My first interview was with Friedhelm von Landsberg-Velen, owner of Schloss Dankern, one of Germany's largest holiday resorts. Little did I know that I would later work with him and his family for many years.

In 1998, I also partnered with Frank Hinrichs to establish Leisure Consulting, my first company. Together with Net-Up, we developed and implemented what we believe was Europe's first online ticketing system for amusement parks, installed at Warner Bros. Movie World Germany, now known as Movie Park Germany.

At the time, online ticketing was far from an obvious investment for theme parks. Some operators were not convinced that websites or online sales would deliver sufficient value. We nevertheless believed that digital technology would fundamentally change the way leisure businesses communicated with their guests and sold tickets.

We explored other ideas ahead of their time, too. Around 2000, we promoted waterless urinals to amusement parks, but the concept attracted little interest from the operators we approached. Today, online ticketing, websites and water-saving technologies are widely established.

Looking back, these early ventures taught me an important lesson: recognising a trend is one thing; helping others understand its potential is another.

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Connecting the Industry — Online and Offline

Around 1999, together with facts & fiction and Norbert Altenhöner, I helped launch Erlebniswelten.de, one of the first web-based news platforms dedicated to theme parks and the amusement industry. The bilingual website reached influential park owners, senior management and attraction manufacturers at a time when online industry news was still in its infancy.

In 2000, I joined Sascha Budde, Michael Badelt and Jens Scheberg on the European Coaster Video project. Our idea was to film Europe's most impressive roller coasters in professional quality and sell the resulting videos worldwide on VHS, later followed by DVD.

My role was to convince park operators to participate and secure permission to film their rides during operating hours. Remember, GoPros and YouTube did not exist as we know them today. Mounting professional cameras safely on different roller coaster trains was a technical challenge in itself.

The result was European Coaster Thrills, a successful production that also laid the foundation for what I continue to do today through movemotions: professional film and photo productions for theme parks, water parks, resorts and attraction manufacturers around the world.

The same year, Frank Hinrichs and I faced another challenge: finding a buyer for the EXPO 2000 dark ride before the exhibition site had to be cleared. Within just a few weeks, we sold the attraction to Gottlieb Löffelhardt, owner of Phantasialand and Mirabilandia at the time.

It was another early lesson in the value of industry relationships, commercial thinking and acting quickly when an opportunity arises.

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From Journalism to Park Operations

In 2001, Petra Probst invited me to join the founding team of Euro Amusement Professional. The magazine became a major part of my professional life until 2015. It gave me the opportunity to travel extensively, meet people across the international amusement industry and gain first-hand insights into parks, trade shows, conferences and industry associations around the world.

In 2002, Oscar Bruch Jr. asked me to support his newly opened Centro.PARK in Oberhausen. I worked with the amusement park for the next five years, gaining valuable operational experience alongside my consulting and publishing activities.

In 2007, I began working with Friedhelm von Landsberg-Velen as spokesperson for Schloss Dankern, building a long-standing relationship with one of Germany's leading family holiday destinations.

When Centro.PARK closed in 2011, I was asked by the owner of the Centro shopping and entertainment complex to find a new operator for the site. I convinced Merlin Entertainments to take over the park, and the company subsequently established LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Oberhausen on part of the former amusement park site.

These experiences broadened my perspective beyond individual attractions. They taught me how operators, investors, property owners and entertainment brands approach opportunities from very different angles.

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Building movemotions

The success of European Coaster Thrills generated growing demand for professional videos from roller coaster and attraction manufacturers. In 2012, I founded movemotions, a media production company specialising in the international amusement industry.

What began with four enthusiasts producing a VHS about Europe's most impressive roller coasters has developed into a professional production business working with leading parks, resorts and attraction manufacturers worldwide.

One detail still makes me particularly happy: Vekoma Rides, the first company to commission us to produce a video about one of its new roller coasters, remains a client to this day. Long-term relationships like this are among the most rewarding aspects of my work.

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Still Exploring What's Possible

My experience in attraction development, park operations, journalism, media production and consulting has shaped the way I work today.

I enjoy identifying opportunities, connecting people and helping businesses navigate an industry that is constantly evolving. Sometimes that means developing an attraction, sometimes supporting a destination, and sometimes helping a company understand a market it has never entered before.

I believe in practical thinking, honest conversations and the courage to explore ideas that others may initially overlook. Not every early idea becomes a success, of course. But being curious, recognizing potential and learning from experience have always been central to my approach.

After more than 25 years in the amusement industry, my passion for theme parks and roller coasters is still as strong as ever. The difference is that today, I can combine that passion with decades of experience, an international network and a deep understanding of how this industry works.

And I am still curious about what comes next.

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Have a Project in Mind?

Whether you are developing a new attraction, exploring the European leisure market or looking for an experienced industry perspective, I'd be happy to hear from you. Just send me an email.