Ciarán Carruthers is to depart Wynn Macau for Crown Resorts, where he will take over the CEO role from the departing Steve McCann.
It has been confirmed that McCann will step down from his CEO duties of Crown Resorts and Crown Melbourne, positions occupied since June 2021 as the operator faced royal commission probes across New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia.
In the latter, the group is to undergo a second round of disciplinary proceedings in relation to its alleged responsible gambling failures.
McCann noted that the firm has “my full support in their vision to help Crown realise its full potential” after working through a “very challenging time” that saw the group deemed unsuitable to operate its slate of Australian casinos.
Carruthers, the Chief Operating Officer of Wynn Macau, where he is responsible for overseeing all operations, including gaming, will work with the previous incumbent through a transitional period.
Prior to Wynn Macau, Carruthers was the Senior Vice President and Director of the Venetian and Plaza Operations for Sands China. He has also held senior operational roles at casino resorts in Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and the US Pacific Islands.
Crown said that further senior appointments, including the CEO of Crown Melbourne and CEO of Crown Perth, will be announced in due course.
“I have been following Crown’s journey for some time now and am excited to join the company at a significant moment in its history,” Carruthers commented.
“The reform, remediation and cultural transformation that have occurred under Steve’s leadership have been extraordinary, and I would like to congratulate him and his team for what they have achieved to date.
“I am committed to continuing that important work to ensure Crown achieves its ambition to be a world-leader in the delivery of safe and responsible gaming.
“I am extremely passionate about our industry and providing customers with exceptional entertainment and hospitality experiences.
“I have stayed at Crown many times and know how dedicated and customer-focused its people are, and I’m looking forward to working closely with them, along with the governments, regulators, unions and customers as Crown enters this new era.
“On a personal level, my family has called Australia home for nearly 20 years, and it has always been close to my heart. We are looking forward to beginning this new chapter in Melbourne.”
Furthermore, the company has confirmed that Bill McBeath has been appointed Chair of the Crown Resorts Board, John Borghetti has become Chair of the Crown Sydney Board, and John Van Der Wielen has been appointed Chair of Burswood Limited.
This comes after Blackstone last month finalised its “largest transaction to date for the firm in Asia Pacific” after completing the long protracted A$8.9bn (US$6.3bn) Crown Resorts takeover.
