Crown Resorts appoints Mark McWhinnie as CEO of Barangaroo casino

The gaming group’s new owner Blackstone has installed its third executive linked to a Las Vegas gaming group to its leadership team.

Crown Resorts is adding more Las Vegas-linked firepower to its leadership team, installing a former Sands executive to oversee its new $2.2bn Barangaroo casino.

Mark McWhinnie – who previously held senior executive roles at Sands China, a subsidiary of Las Vegas Sands Corp, for 13 years – will replace Simon McGrath as chief executive of Crown Sydney.

The appointment comes as Crown finally opened its gaming floor at Barangaroo early last month subject to a raft of conditions from the NSW gaming regulator and as Blackstone – which acquired Crown for $8.9bn in June – moves to distance itself from former major shareholder James Packer.

Mr McWhinnie is the third executive linked to a Las Vegas gaming group that Blackstone – which acquired Crown for $8.9bn in June – has hired, with former Wynn and Sands executive Ciaran Carruthers replacing Steve McCann as CEO and former Las Vegas Cosmopolitan boss Bill McBeath installed as chairman.

Crown Sydney's new CEO Mark McWhinnie.

Mr Carruthers, who started at Crown this month, said he was “delighted to have Mark on board to lead Crown Sydney”.

“He is a global gaming and hospitality executive boasting an impressive track record founded on strong culture and premium service,” Mr Carruthers said.

Ciaran Carruthers said he was delighted to have Mark McWhinnie join the Crown team. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Andrew Henshaw

“Mark’s appointment adds to the deep industry experience at Crown and is further testament to our ability to attract strong talent to our business.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to reiterate our thanks to Simon for his contribution to Crown, including overseeing the successful opening of Australia’s only VIP members-only casino in Sydney. We wish him all the best for the future.”

Mr McWhinnie’s appointment comes two days after the NSW regulator Philip Crawford slammed Crown’s rival in Sydney, Star Entertainment after Adam Bell SC’s review into the company found it was unfit to hold a NSW casino licence.

Star now has 14 days to show the regulator it can be a suitable licence holder, although Mr Crawford said he was not getting the “vibe” from Star that it understood its “problems” and was showing the necessary leadership to fix them.

This contrasts with his assessment of Crown, which has been subject to three inquiries in three states after it facilitated money laundering and other organised crime.

Mr Crawford said Blackstone “has been required to demonstrate the highest standards of probity as well as a commitment to deliver the full suite of operational changes recommended by the Bergin Inquiry”.

“This commitment is vital to ensure Crown Sydney is free from criminal influence and properly manages the risks of harm associated with casino activities,” Mr Crawford said in June when he granted Crown conditional approval to open the Barangaroo gaming floor.

Crown Sydney (pictured on the left) at Barangaroo. Picture: Richard Dobson

Goldman Sachs analysts said the outcome of the Bell review was not surprising, but unlike Macquarie, they had “no view on the outcome” on whether the regulator will strip Star of its licence.

“Disciplinary action that is being considered includes a cancellation or suspension of license, imposition of a pecuniary penalty of up to $100mn, amendment of the terms and conditions of license or requirement that the operator maybe refrained from doing certain things or the issue of a letter of censure to the casino operator,” Goldman Sachs analysts said in a note to investors.

“We will keep monitoring the regulatory process and watch for updates on potential disciplinary action, if any, following the submission of response to this notice and the NICC (NSW Independent Casino Commission) reaching a final verdict.”

In regard to Crown, Mr McWhinnie said he was “determined to play my part in realising our ambition to be a leader in the delivery of safe and responsible gaming”.

“I have a strong understanding of the complexities of operating in a heavily regulated environment and will be prioritising continued progress on the reform, remediation and cultural transformation underway across the business, while delivering an exceptional experience for our customers.

“Sydney is the gateway to Australia and Crown Sydney has a significant role to play in fostering a re-emergence of activity across the hospitality and tourism sectors.”

In his role at Sands China, Mr McWhinnie earned the prestigious LEED silver certification for sustainable practices in building design and construction at The Parisian Macao, the first integrated resort to achieve this in the region.

Earlier in his career, Mr McWhinnie worked in senior hospitality roles, including management and leadership positions for the Ishin Hotels Group in Japan and Starwood Hotels & Resorts across Australia, Asia and the Pacific.

Mr McWhinnie will join Crown Sydney on October 4, subject to regulatory approval.