Star appoints new Gold Coast boss
Employees at one of the Gold Coast’s largest employers have a new boss.
The Star Entertainment Group, which owns the Gold Coast casino and manages the Gold Coast Convention and Entertainment Centre, has appointed former Bally’s boss Ameet Patel as Chief Executive Officer of The Star Brisbane and The Star Gold Coast.
The news comes on the same day that the Federal Court disqualified former Star Entertainment Group Limited executives Mathias Bekier and Paula Martin from managing corporations for six and seven years, respectively.
Mr Bekier and Mr Martin were also ordered to pay penalties for breaching their duties by failing to properly manage serious risks at one of Australia’s major casinos.
Mr Bekier, the former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, to pay a pecuniary penalty of $700,000 and was disqualified from managing corporations for six years.
Ms Martin, the former General Counsel, Company Secretary, and Chief Legal and Risk Officer, was to pay a pecuniary penalty of $400,000 and was disqualified from managing corporations for seven years.
US casino giant Bally’s Corporation and Australian pub and Hedges Avenue-dwelling pub billionaire Bruce Mathieson now jointly own 61 per cent of Star Entertainment Group after pouring $300 million into the company to rescue it from collapse last year.
While its Gold Coast operations remain profitable, The Star Entertainment Group has staggered from one crisis to another since a money-laundering scandal erupted in 2021.
NSW’s Independent Casino Commission heard evidence of money laundering, links to organised crime and fraud. The Star was fined $15 million and is now operating with a government-appointed manager running the operation.
A 2022 Queensland inquiry also found that Star was “unsuitable to hold a licence”.
The Star Entertainment Group employs 9000 people across its sites.
Mr Patel has experience in gaming, hospitality, and operations leadership across multiple regions around the world.
He has previously held senior positions at Bally’s Corporation, Penn National, and Sun International.
In a statement on LinkedIn, The Star Entertainment Group Managing Director Bruce Mathieson Jr said, “We look forward to working with Ameet as we continue to strengthen our leadership capability across The Star”.
Patel’s appointment to oversee Star’s Brisbane properties comes after another former Bally’s executive, John Koster, was recently named CEO of The Star Sydney.
Star also announced earlier this month that it had closed a vital refinancing deal with Whitehawk Capital Partners.
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