Brunel’s SS Great Britain has won over 30 major awards and was recently presented with the ‘Best Tourism Project 2018’ by the British Guild of Travel Writers. Furthermore – with the addition of Being Brunel in 2018 – the museum has been shortlisted among 40 others for the prestigious European Museum of the Year Award 2019.
Commercial director, Phil Smith, has been selected to help drive ambitious growth plans for the Bristol-based charitable trust which is already a major driver for overseas tourism to the city.
This includes sustaining excitement around the world-class collection and museum, Being Brunel, developing opportunities around the newly revived Albion Dry Dock, and building on the quality and profitability of the visitor experience.
Phil Smith joins from the Ironbridge Gorge Museum where he was the deputy chief executive and chief operating officer, having held previous senior roles at National Museum Wales and Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand.
Phil brings with him substantial retail and museum sector insight and experience of driving commercial innovation for income generation and audience development. He joins as the Trust is expanding its retail and catering offer as well as launching new venue hire packages capitalising on the stunning interior of the Being Brunel museum.
Phil says:
“This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the organisation’s growth plans by building on the continued success of Being Brunel while also fully embracing the opportunities presented by the Albion Dry Dock development.”
