Crown Resorts chief executive Ciarán Carruthers will step down from his position at the end of 2024, after nearly two years at the helm. He will remain in the role until 31 December to ensure a smooth leadership transition.
According to multiple reports, David Tsai, currently president and chief operating officer, will take over as interim CEO starting 1 September. Tsai, formerly head of Crown Perth, will serve in the role until a permanent replacement is appointed.
Navigating Regulatory Turbulence
Carruthers played a pivotal role in guiding Crown through a period of regulatory upheaval and government scrutiny. Over the past two years, the company faced serious consequences for breaching anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws. Under Carruthers’ leadership, Crown undertook a major corporate restructuring, which included more than 1,000 job cuts.
Executive Reshuffle
The leadership change comes just a month after Crown announced a major executive reshuffle. At that time:
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David Tsai was promoted to an executive leadership role.
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Brian Pereira, former CFO of Crown Perth, was named interim CEO.
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Nicole Pelchen was appointed chief technology officer.
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Gemma Allman joined as chief government relations officer.
A Proud Farewell
Speaking to The Nightly, Carruthers said, “Now is an appropriate time to depart and pursue other interests.” He also expressed pride in the company’s progress and the efforts of his team over the past two years.
Reflecting on his tenure, Carruthers said:
“We have successfully steered Crown Resorts through a period of intensive transformation and remediation, culminating in Crown Melbourne and Sydney being deemed suitable by their respective state regulators. The Crown Perth transformation programme is also well underway.”
An industry veteran from Ireland, Carruthers was appointed CEO following Blackstone’s AU$8.9bn acquisition of Crown in 2022. He previously held senior positions at prominent casino operations, including Wynn Macau.
Earlier this year, Carruthers affirmed his confidence in Crown maintaining its licenses in Melbourne and Sydney—both of which were renewed. A review of Crown Perth is still pending.
Investigation and Clearance
Carruthers’ leadership was not without controversy. In December 2023, he was investigated over claims that he had overturned security decisions by allowing intoxicated patrons back into the Melbourne casino. He was cleared of any misconduct in February 2024.
In addition to Carruthers’ departure, casino officer Justin Casey is also set to retire, with his final day on 31 August.
