Simon Applebaum

Focused on building a best in class digital healthcare product focused on enabling clinician lead care for high risk patients that keeps them at home and healthy. Continue to consult with the Chief Exec on an ad-hoc basis.

Day Out With The Kids was an acquisition in 2015 by Attraction World Holdings. Initially the group encountered two years of unsuccessful efforts to create a value proposition under initial leadership. Following a strategic review, I was asked to step in as MD and lead this business to profitability. Tasked with finding a viable business model and achieving profitability. Key Achievements · Developed B2B and B2C monetisation strategies that doubled revenue in consecutive years. · Like for like positive EBITDA swing of £500k in first full year moving into profit for first time. · Developed and launched beta subscription product with 45,000 sign ups in first 12 months. · Developed suite of B2B marketing solutions, generating £1m in sales in first full 12 months. · Developed award nominated social media strategy that reached more than 82m a year. · Double digit traffic growth (25m visits v 22m) in challenging Google landscape. · Developed inhouse technology team and re-platformed to a Node JS tech stack. · Quickly established Day Out With The Kids as the leading digital marketing partner for the domestic attractions and experience industry. TL;DR I managed to build a passionate team of 20+ who worked hard and smart to establish multiple revenue channels and delivered triple digit revenue growth in 2019. After a two year investment in technology and rebranding, we became profitable, on track for 20% year on year growth in organic traffic, that our subscriber base achieved 35,000 signups in its beta phase with national rollout underway. I shouldn't leave out that DOWTK marketing solutions now support 7,000 UK visitor attractions utilising a freemium model that will generate over £1m in ad revenues in the first full year of trading.

Alongside day to day responsibilities, I had oversight of Attraction World product and marketing strategy; providing support and guidance to my successors in this role.

Attraction World Ltd is a leading UK tours, attraction and activities broker with established brands that sell both to consumers and the travel trade alike. Promoted to Managing Director of Attraction World Limited with the brief to continue to de-risk the trade and grow profitability. Key Achievements · Delivered consecutive record revenue and EBITDA years (FY2016: £1.5m, FY2017: £1.7m) in incredibly challenging currency conditions. · Companies highest gross margin in its history (FY2017) · Changed currency purchasing post-Brexit to manage risk and ensure strongest possible margins. · Lead relationships at the highest levels of the travel industry; both in the client and supplier set. · Rebuilt leadership team following group restructure that saw senior people either move to DOWTK or leave the organisation. · Repositioned Attraction World brands to create market differentiation from competitor set. · Enhanced in-resort experience for Attraction World customers with bespoke loyalty products. · Signed long extensions with key trade clients. · Organised first company conference to reduce silos and ensure a single company vision. TL;DR I took on the exciting challenge of keeping a traditionally high street retail business super relevant in the digital age. Luckily I had 70+ of the best people in travel here to help and a product set which is "so hot right now" it's drawn hundred of millions of $ of VC cash. We spruced up our brands, began completely reimagining our technology, developing the client and consumer propositions and always putting our clients and customers at the centre of the (Attraction) World.

Brief expanded to oversee the team of 8 responsible for the selection and contracting of the group product portfolio to ensure better yield from the buying department. Focused heavily on better alignment between the efforts of our buyers with the demand from both our trade and direct consumers, reducing wastage and continuing to focus on more leading rates and continuing added value for our customers.

Invited to join the board of Attraction World to reinforce the business commitment to expanding the b2c brands. Brand development: Continue to ensure that AttractionTix and FloridaTix drive traffic from a range of channels including organic and referral with an increasing focus on narrative and brand storytelling. Reinforcing this through best in class consumer care via contact centres and social media. Conversion & customer yield; Ensure our websites lead the field in conversion and usability, executing our commitment to responsive and adaptive principles in web design. Futher utilise CRM to nurture leads and drive increase customer value. Continue aggressive growth in top-line revenue targets to make Attraction World Group a 50/50 business in 2015.

Overseeing the direct to consumer proposition for Attraction World with a particular focus on energising the search, content and social propositions whilst bringing to market fully device responsive websites.

I managed all aspects of Online and systems from UX, Operations, Systems, Strategy, People and Product for Affinion International Travel. Providing white label and dual branded travel propositions for some of the largest financial, retail and travel organisations in the UK, we work tirelessly towards wrapping a best in class travel service in the branding and personality of our clients. Achieved 200% increase in online share. Achieved 300% increase in online revenue.

Managing all aspects of the online offering of the Thomas Cook Group Youth portfolio; including brands such as Club18-30.com, The Big Reunion and The Big Snow Festival.

I am responsible at all levels for the recruitment and strategic management of all online affiliates and partners for the online business.

Responsible for day to day operations and communications for the Thomas Cook Affiliate programme specialising in technical implementation and reporting.

Co-ordinating the marketing efforts around Epic's portfolio of touring theatre products. Creating and circulation press releases, building mailing lists and focusing on customer retention. In addition I also acted as an assistant in the planning and delivery of marquee events.

I worked in a variety of positions, some customer facing whilst others involved training and managing people.