Star seeks out current and former Crown staff

Star Entertainment Group is quickly replenishing its senior ranks with former executives from rival Crown Resorts as it awaits the findings of the Bell II inquiry.

Lighting testing at Star’s Queen’s Wharf casino, Brisbane, in the lead-up to its opening.

Star Entertainment is quickly replenishing its senior ranks with former executives from rival Crown Resorts as it awaits the findings of the Bell II inquiry.

New Star chief executive Steve McCann served a stint as boss of Crown in 2021 and 2022, helping steer the Melbourne-based casino group’s remediation program.

Star now faces many of the same regulatory issues that Crown has had to deal with in the past. With Mr McCann’s feet now firmly under the CEO desk as of Monday, there are high hopes he can repeat the magic.

Mr McCann is not the only Crown alumni now working at Star. Star’s new chief operating officer, Jeannie Mok, previously served as chief transformation officer for Crown, which included designing and launching its transformation strategy and overseeing the delivery of its culture, governance, technology and operations remediation programs.

Star has launched a jobs portal seeking expressions of interest from former staff of Crown, which in May announced it was slashing thousands of jobs.

Star says it has openings in its restaurants and bars, hotels, gaming operations and corporate teams across its properties in Brisbane, Sydney and the Gold Coast. It is offering relocation packages for certain roles, complimentary meals, discounted parking and career development, training, and courses via The Star Academy.

Many of the new hirings will be destined for Star’s soon-to-open Queen’s Wharf integrated resort in Brisbane. A Star spokesman said strong interest had been shown during the recent recruitment campaign, and Star was working through applications received from former Crown staff.

Star recently released a list of attractions, cultural, culinary and entertainment hot spots that will open on August 29 as part of the first phase of the multi-phased opening of the $3.6bn precinct. The Star Brisbane CEO Daniel Finch said that, from late August a stream of new restaurants, bars, public spaces and destinations would be opened.

Things appear to be clearing for Star on the regulatory front, with Mr McCann’s appointment welcomed by the NSW Independent Casino Commission. Star awaits the crucial recommendation due at the end of the month from Adam Bell, SC, on whether Star gets to keep its casino licence in Sydney.

The NICC said it was encouraged by Mr McCann’s appointment as group CEO, noting his “experience in navigating the complexities of remediation”.

Star has lost a string of executives in recent months, including former CEO Robbie Cooke and chief financial officer Christina Katsibouba, as it faced regulatory scrutiny of its operations in Sydney and Queensland. Mr Bell last month completed his second inquiry into Star’s suitability to hold a casino ­licence in Sydney, following a probe in 2022 that found it had not met obligations to prevent money laundering and other mis­conduct.

Originally published as Star seeks out current and former Crown staff