VisitAberdeenshire appoints Chris Foy as new CEO

VisitAberdeenshire has confirmed the appointment of Chris Foy as its new chief executive officer.

Foy joins the the destination management organisation for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire after leaving his post as Head of Business Events at VisitBritain, where he recently oversaw the re-launch of a separate business events function within the national tourism agency.

Foy brings over 25 years of tourism industry experience to the position, having also held positions at the former London Tourist Board, London Development Agency, and in the heritage attractions sector.

He visited Glasgow in December last year where he spoke at a Business Tourism conference in the city. At the conference he outlined VisitBritain’s renewed focus on bringing business events to the country.

In this role, Foy has created and implemented a strategy to sell the UK as a business event destination, primarily to American and European markets and has dealt with a range of business events across Scotland.

Foy also led the implementation of a strategy to spread the tourism benefits of the London Olympics to the whole of the UK as head of Visit Britain’s 2012 Games unit; after the Olympics, he led Visit Britain’s overseas network operations, before moving to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to work on the UK Government’s GREAT Britain campaign. Returning to Visit Britain in 2015 as head of nations and regions, his brief included leadership of the GREAT Inverness Loch Ness Fund.

Colin Crosby, VisitAberdeenshire chairman, said: “Chris brings a wealth of tourism experience to the role from both a strategic and operational focus, which is vital if VisitAberdeenshire is to continue to position the region as a top leisure and business tourism destination.

“Chris’s excellent leadership skills, and his credentials as a high-level tourism strategist, will further strengthen the VisitAberdeenshire team. I am delighted with Chris’s appointment and look forward to him leading the team at VisitAberdeenshire in his new role as the chief executive officer.”

Foy, who had worked at the heart of the Government’s tourism operation in Number 10 Downing Street, will take up the chief executive officer post at the beginning of August 2017.