With comings and goings commonplace across the industry, Flutter Entertainment, The Star Entertainment Group and Caesars Entertainment are among those to have seen changes to their teams recently.
Flutter Entertainment
Flutter Entertainment has appointed Christine McCarthy and Robert ‘Dob’ Bennett to its board of directors, effective July 30, 2024.
McCarthy will sit on the company’s Audit Committee, while Bennett will be a member of the Risk and Sustainability Committee.
McCarthy previously held several senior leadership positions at The Walt Disney Company, most recently as a Strategic Advisor. She also served as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, joining the company in 2000 as SVP and Treasurer.
She currently serves as a Director of The Procter & Gamble Company and is the Chair of its Audit Committee and is a Director of FM Global and Chair of its Finance Committee.
Meanwhile, Bennett is the Managing Director of the private investment company Hilltop Investments and is a Director at HP and Liberty Media.
He has previously been President of Discovery Holding Company, President, CEO and Principal Financial Officer at Liberty Media, as well as a Director of Warner Bros. Discovery, Sprint Corporation, Demand Media, Discovery Holding Company, Liberty Interactive Corporation and Sprint Nextel Corporation.
John Bryant, Chair of the Flutter Board, stated: “Christine and Dob’s extensive experience in the entertainment industry will be an invaluable asset to Flutter as we continue to extend our leading position as a global online sports betting and igaming provider.
“We look forward to welcoming both Dob and Christine to the Board as non-executive directors and benefitting from their unique perspective and industry knowledge.”
The Star Entertainment Group
The Star Entertainment Group has announced the resignation of Hamish Macdonald as Group Company Secretary.
The Star wished Macdonald “all the very best for his future endeavours” and thanked him for his contribution. Deputy Company Secretary Kate Williams has been proposed by the company as an additional Company Secretary, subject to all necessary regulatory approvals being obtained.
Until all necessary approvals have been obtained for Williams’ proposed appointment,
Jennie Yuen will remain the person responsible for communication with the ASX under Listing Rule 12.6.
An experienced governance professional with legal, regulatory and governance experience, Williams previously worked at Heritage and People’s Choice Limited as Deputy Company Secretary and Legal Counsel, as well as Deputy Company Secretary for Vicinity Centres, Principal Group Governance at BHP Group and Assistant Company Secretary and Legal Counsel for Downer Group.
Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment has appointed Rodney Williams to its board of directors.
Williams brings experience in luxury brand-building, strategic and digital marketing and corporate leadership to the board.
Gary Carano, Executive Chair of the Board, Caesars Entertainment, stated: “Rodney is an important addition to the Caesars Entertainment leadership team. Rodney’s career leading some of the world’s best-known beverage brands gives him an unmatched perspective in the hospitality industry.
“His exceptional track record in luxury and premium brand building during his time with Diageo and LVMH and his continued commitment to the food and beverage industry through his service as a trustee and executive committee member of the James Beard Foundation will give us added insights into the continuing confluence of entertainment with the culinary arts as we shepherd Caesars Entertainment into the future.”
Williams was previously President of the Diageo Beer Company and President of Diageo Canada. He also spent 11 years at Moet Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton in the roles of Maison (or global) President of Belvedere Vodka and as Chief Marketing Officer for its entire US brand portfolio, as well as as SVP for Hennessy US.
Before joining LVMH, he was SVP of Lifestyle Brands for Jackson Family Wines, SVP for Lifestyle Wines at Robert Mondavi and has worked at Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and General Motors.
“I’m pleased to have Rodney Williams join our Board of Directors,” noted Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment.
“Rodney brings a different perspective to hospitality, having experienced it from the upper echelon of luxury beverage brands. His experience in innovation, digital and experiential marketing, and implementing optimisation makes him a good strategic fit for our Board of Directors. I look forward to working with him to continue to drive results for our guests, Team Members, and shareholders.”
HappyHour.io and FUNNZ
Kelly Kehn has announced on LinkedIn that she has left her position as Industry Relations Partner at HappyHour.io. In addition, she has also stated that she has become a Director on the board at FUNNZ.
The Co-Founder of the All-in Diversity Project, Kehn has been with HappyHour since June 2022, joining from SBC where she served as Global Relationships Director from November 2019.
Commenting on her HappyHour departure, Kehn said: “Today marks my last day as Industry Relations Partner at HappyHour. It’s been a great ride and I couldn’t be more grateful to the team for everything I’ve learned and all the fun we’ve had along the way.
“We built a brand that is synonymous with igaming innovation. We connected the best of the best in the industry to the newcomers. We funded some big dreams and won a few awards as we went. Along the way, I had the privilege to watch new founders become true leaders.
“The team at HappyHour and its startups are responsible for my love of startup culture and entrepreneurship, so of course, the story doesn’t end here. I’ll be joining one of our portfolio company boards this summer as well as working on something extra special that aligns my passion for an equitable future with startup innovation.”
On joining FUNNZ, Kehn stated: “While I take the summer to reset and push forward with a new project, I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Director on the board at FUNNZ! I’ve been working towards a diploma in Non-Executive Directorship so this role is incredibly exciting for me. Looking forward to serving this dynamic team as they grow.”