(Add to chair’s statement)
February 15 (Reuters) – Ken Barton, chief executive of Crown Tourist Information Centers, resigned on Monday following an investigation into allegations of money laundering that he was unfit for the job, inserting his gambling license. the danger.
Current chair Helen Coonan would take up the role of executive chair on an interim, effective basis immediately, while the board seeks a new CEO, Crown said in a statement.
Andrew Demetriou, chairman of the Melbourne Crown where money was launched, resigned on Friday, days after two other directors representing major shareholder James Packer resigned.
The report, a year-long study commissioned by the state gambling watchdog New South Wales, raised net allegations about widespread money laundering and regulatory failure at the Crown, calling for major changes to the board and his culture.
The report said Barton did not look like “any match for what is required of a casino licensee” and said the regulator could not be confident in dealing with it.
“Accepting that the appointment of executive chair is a decision I have not taken lightly but the Board feels it provides stability and certainty of leadership at this important time for the industry. , ”Coonan said in a statement Monday.
“The Board is determined to continue the movement as the Crown takes major steps to improve our governance, compliance and culture,” she said. (Reporting by Rashmi Ashok and Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru Edition by Sonya Hepinstall)