Roger Houben
CEO
Roger Houben is a seasoned visionary with 37 years of unparalleled experience in the attraction, experience, and theme park industry. His extensive career has provided him with a unique blend of expertise across critical disciplines, including design, engineering & production, turn-key project management, sales & marketing, IP management & development, legal, and finance. This diverse background makes him a true leader in the field.
Transforming Vekoma Rides
Early in his career, Roger joined the family business, Vekoma, a renowned roller coaster manufacturer. He was instrumental in transforming the company from an engineering-centric operation into a modern, management-driven powerhouse. During his tenure, Roger spearheaded numerous iconic roller coaster projects for global giants like the Disney Corporation, Universal Studios, Six Flags, and many other major theme parks worldwide. Under his leadership, Vekoma pushed the boundaries of innovation, developing several world-first roller coaster concepts such as the LSM Launch Coaster, Inverted Boomerang, Flying Coaster, and the Motorbike Coaster.
Innovating with 3DBA
Leveraging his distinctive skill set, Roger founded 3-D Branded Attractions (3DBA). He built 3DBA into one of the few companies that focused on developing innovative products and experiences driven by contemporary consumer and market trends—such as gaming, 3D, and branding—rather than traditional engineering-led approaches. During his time at 3DBA, Roger initiated and created a multitude of highly successful branded attractions and theme parks. These include The Charlie & Chocolate Experience at Alton Towers (UK), interactive Dark Rides for Lego Discovery Centers globally, The Marvel Indoor Theme Park in Dubai, The Marvel Experience at Madame Tussauds’ locations worldwide, the Cartoon Network theme park in Dubai, and the Fox theme park in Malaysia. 3DBA is now focused on creating its own proprietary formats, such as Legacy Alive, which includes “Discovery Pompeii Alive” located within a shopping mall next to the Pompeii historic site under a license from Discovery Channel, and Sports Ultimate.
Founding iP2: A New Chapter in Branded Entertainment
In 2012, Roger founded iP2, with the strategic goal of combining his extensive experiences to establish a specialist developer and operator of branded family entertainment centers (FECs) based on world-renowned intellectual properties. iP2 operates on a unique business model, fortified by a robust international network of development partners. Roger Houben’s career is a testament to his relentless pursuit of innovation, his ability to merge creative vision with commercial acumen, and his unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional, trend-setting entertainment experiences globally.
