Australian casino operator Crown Resorts has announced a change of leadership at its Crown Perth casino in Western Australia.
Ben Wyatt has been appointed director and chair-elect of Crown Perth, having previously held a range of Ministerial portfolios during his 15 years in the West Australian State Parliament, including as Treasurer.
Wyatt will take over from current chair John Van Der Wielen, who will remain on the board over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.
“My appointment as Crown Perth Chair in 2022 has been a great challenge, assisting the team in undertaking one of the most complex transformations in Australia,” said Van Der Wielen. “Appointing a new CEO and chair-elect brings to fruition much of the significant work undertaken in the last three years and I am very confident the business will prosper with so many new and exciting opportunities.”
Commenting on his appointment, Wyatt said: “As Western Australia’s largest single site employer, Crown is a key part of the Western Australian economy, and I am excited to be joining a business that delivers some of Perth’s most exciting developments, entertainment offerings and tourism opportunities.”
The second leadership change promotes Brian Pereira to chief executive officer of Crown Perth after serving as its chief financial officer since September 2023.
“I couldn’t be prouder to have been appointed to lead the great team of more than 5,000 people here at Perth’s ultimate entertainment destination,” said Pereira. “It is an enormous privilege to be appointed to this role, and I look forward to being a part of a growing business that continues to create memorable guest experiences, supports the local economy and gives back to our community.”
Crown Resorts chairman John Borghetti commented: “Both of these appointees are highly regarded and are ideally positioned to lead Crown Perth. I would also like to thank John Van Der Wielen for his leadership and dedication to Crown over the last three years and deeply appreciate his decision to remain with Crown to ensure a smooth transition.”
Crown Resorts CEO David Tsai added: “I am confident that these two appointments, with their deep local knowledge of the WA tourism sector and economy, are the right people to lead the Perth team into the next exciting era of growth for the State’s only fully integrated entertainment resort.”
Both appointments are subject to regulatory approvals.
Crown Resorts also owns casinos in Sydney and Melbourne, a 50 per cent interest in UK casino operator Aspers Group, as well as Betfair Australia.