Australia’s Star Entertainment Group has named Anne Ward as its new Chairman of the Board, effective immediately and replacing David Foster.
According to details contained in an ASX filing, Foster will remain on the Board and continue his executive responsibilities for an interim period. He will also remain as a director of relevant subsidiary company boards until they can be reconstituted by individuals holding necessary regulatory approvals, the company explained.
His demotion, which follows the departure of former CEO and Managing Director Robbie Cooke last month, comes after he fronted an inquiry into The Star Sydney’s suitability last week.
Among the revelations to emerge from the inquiry in relation to Foster’s time as Chairman were discussions he held with Cooke about going to war with the NSW Independent Casino Commission and that he wanted the regulator replaced by a body that would also oversee the state’s pubs and clubs industry.
The decision to keep Foster on in the interim reflects an ongoing leadership vacuum at Star – a point raised regularly throughout the past two weeks of public hearings – with the search ongoing for a new CEO to replace Cooke.
Janelle Campbell, who was recently named as The Star Sydney’s new property-level CEO, is still awaiting regulatory approval, while the CEO of The Star Gold Coast, Jessica Mellor, was an unexpected departure when she announced her resignation earlier this month after just six months in the job.
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