Australia’s Star Entertainment Group has announced the appointment of six key executive and director appointments, including former Las Vegas Sands executive Helen Galloway as Independent Chair of The Star Sydney and hotels veteran Jennifer Cronin as Interim CEO of The Star Gold Coast.
The hires come in the wake of a second inquiry into the suitability of Star to hold its NSW casino license. Aside from finding the company to still be unsuitable, the inquiry also highlighted concerns around Star’s leadership structure and specifically the long-time absence of suitable individuals overseeing each of its three casino resorts – The Star Sydney, The Star Gold Coast and Treasury Brisbane (now Queen’s Wharf Brisbane).
Star noted that Galloway’s appointment as Independent Chair of The Star Sydney licensee The Star Pty Limited is a direct response to the new Governance Framework it agreed with regulators, aimed at decentralizing its properties. Galloway, who previously worked as a Vice President at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and Sands China in Macau, will serve an initial term of three years, having already commenced as an observer on The Star Sydney board.
Cronin, who has worked in marketing roles for The Ritz-Carlton and Grand Hyatt in Singapore and most recently spent eight years with Wharf Hotels in Hong Kong, has been named Interim CEO of The Star Gold Coast while Star continues its search for a permanent replacement. She has also been appointed as a director of The Star Entertainment Qld Custodian Pty Ltd – licensee of The Star Gold Coast), pending receipt of all regulatory approvals.
The other executive appointments include Rowena Craze as Group Chief Risk Officer, Patrick McGlinchey as Group Chief Legal Officer, Sarah Derry as Chief People Officer and Peter Meliniotis as Group Chief Information Officer.
“I am pleased to finalize these key appointments for The Star,” said Group CEO and Managing Director, Steve McCann.
“These appointments add to the depth of experience and talent at the Board and executive level and are a key step in The Star’s progress to suitability.”
The executive appointments were announced just a day before Star convenes a General Meeting on Wednesday at which shareholders will vote on whether to accept a AU$300 million (US$195 million) rescue package from Bally’s Corp and Investment Holdings, widely viewed as a last chance for the embattled casino operator to stave off administration.
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