The senior executive appointments comprise a mixture of internal moves and external hires. Crown added that the leadership changes will take effect over the next three months.
Among the appointments is Tsai, most recently CEO of Crown Perth, taking on a new senior role within Crown. As president and group COO, Tsai will oversee operational effectiveness and efficiency at Crown, reporting to group CEO Ciarán Carruthers.
Brian Pereira, currently chief financial officer of Crown Perth, will become interim CEO while Crown seeks a permanent replacement.
Crown looks out of industry for new CTO and government relations chief
Meanwhile, Pelchen is joining as CTO, with effect from 12 August. An experienced executive, Pelchen joins Crown having worked across several industries during a career spanning more than 25 years. Most recently, she was CTO for MUFG Pension & Market Services, having also worked for ANZ Bank and IBM.
Also joining Crown is Gemma Allman, who has been appointed chief government relations officer. She will join in October after 16 years with ExxonMobil, most recently serving as general public and government affairs manager.
Another new addition to the Crown leadership team is Louise Tebbutt, who has been named chief people and culture officer. Tebbutt joins after almost six years as chief people officer at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. She also previously worked across several roles at Australian department store group Myer.
The final new appointment is Stanford Le, who takes on the role of CEO of Crown Sydney. He replaces Mark McWhinnie, who recently announced his decision to retire. Le has worked in the gambling industry for almost 20 years, spending time with Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts and Sands China. He is currently CEO and president of Snoqualmie Casino.
McWhinnie will remain with the business until Le joins in October.
Time of transformation for Crown
Commenting on the appointments, group CEO Carruthers welcomed each new addition to the Crown leadership team. He said the changes will support the operator during what he said is an important time of transformation.
“I am delighted to announce David Tsai’s expanded role and to welcome four new veterans in their respective industries – who bring global perspectives and experiences – to Crown Resorts,” Carruthers said.
“Stanford Le, Gemma Allman, Louise Tebbutt and Nicole Pelchen will be terrific additions to the team at an important time of transformation for the business.”
Carruthers also paid tribute to McWhinnie for leading Crown’s reform and remediation programme in Sydney over the past three years. This, he pointed out, culminated in the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission finding Crown suitable to operate in the state.
“Mark’s leadership has been instrumental in evolving our business. We look forward to continuing that focus under Stanford as the new Crown Sydney CEO,” he added.
The new appointments also follow last month’s confirmation of John Borghetti, the former boss of Virgin Australia, as its new chairman. Borghetti is set to take on the role next month.
Crown survives New South Wales and Victoria licence scares
As Carruthers said, Crown has successfully restructured its business to maintain licences in two crucial states, in the wake of a damning 2021 review of the operator’s practices.
In April, it was confirmed Crown can retain its casino licence for its Sydney property. This follows three years of intensive remediation in the state after it was deemed “unsuitable” to operate a casino at Barangaroo in Sydney in February 2021 in the Bergin report.
Weeks earlier, Crown was also told it could keep its casino licence in Victoria. The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) in March ruled Crown is suitable to hold a licence for its Melbourne property.
Like in New South Wales, Crown implemented widespread changes at the casino in the wake of the Royal Commission into casino licences.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/people/people-moves/crown-resorts-shuffles-c-suite/
