Key points:
- Jennifer Cronin named Interim CEO of The Star Gold Coast for up to 12 months
- New appointments confirmed in risk, legal, HR and IT leadership roles
- Helen Galloway named incoming independent Chair of The Star Sydney licensee board
The Star Entertainment Group has announced a series of executive and subsidiary director appointments, part of a wider restructuring effort to strengthen governance and leadership across its properties.
The update follows months of operational and financial scrutiny, with the company also asking shareholders to approve an AU$300m ($201m) funding proposal from Bally’s Corporation and Investment Holdings in a vote scheduled for 25 June. If approved, the deal could see Bally’s take a controlling stake in the group.
In its latest filing to the ASX, Star confirmed that Jennifer Cronin will serve as Interim CEO of The Star Gold Coast for a term of up to 12 months, subject to regulatory approval. Cronin has also been appointed as a director of the licensee entity for the Queensland casino.
Other confirmed appointments include Rowena Craze as Group Chief Risk Officer, having previously joined as Chief Audit Officer, Patrick McGlinchey as Group Chief Legal Officer, Sarah Derry as Chief People Officer, effective 1 July and Peter Meliniotis as Group CIO.
As part of its decentralisation plan, Star has also named Helen Galloway as incoming independent Chair of The Star Sydney, the licensee for its Sydney operations. Her appointment is pending regulatory and ministerial approvals. Galloway is currently serving as an observer on the subsidiary board.
Good to know: Star is decentralising key corporate functions across its properties while embedding a revised governance framework agreed with regulators in New South Wales and Queensland
The appointments form part of a broader strategy to meet regulatory suitability standards after multiple inquiries into Star’s operations. In recent years, both the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) and Queensland’s Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) have imposed strict oversight and reform requirements.
Commenting on the developments, Star Group CEO Steve McCann said the appointments added depth of experience and talent at both board and executive levels, describing the changes as “a key step in The Star’s progress to suitability.”