Confirmed today (April 11), Pakula will join the board at Crown Melbourne on May 1. He will replace Ian Silk, who has worked as chairman since mid-2022.
Pakula served as a Member of Parliament in Victoria from 2006 to 2022. During this time, he held several ministerial roles including minister for tourism, sport and major events in the Victoria government.
He also spent time as attorney-general and is currently chair of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation. Pakula will officially become chair of Crown Melbourne on July 1, subject to relevant regulatory approvals.
“Exciting” Time for Crown Melbourne
“I’m delighted to accept the chair role at Crown Melbourne and play a role in its exciting future,” Pakula said. “Crown is an iconic business that is a critical part of Victoria’s economy, tourism and entertainment industry.”
Crown Resorts CEO David Tsai also welcomed the appointment, echoing Pakula’s comments on an “exciting” period for Crown Melbourne.
“I look forward to Crown benefiting from Martin’s extensive industry and leadership experience,” Tsai said. “I would like to express my sincere thanks to Ian for his exceptional leadership and the pivotal role he played in overseeing Crown Melbourne’s extensive transformation.”
Outgoing chairman Silk added: “I am extremely proud of what we have achieved over the past two-and-a-half years, and I want to thank everyone at Crown Melbourne for their dedication and hard work. I’m confident Crown Melbourne will continue to thrive with Martin’s leadership.”
Crown Perth Partners AFL Star
In other news, sister venue Crown Perth has entered a partnership with Australian Football League (AFL) player Harley Reid.
Reid, who plays for the Perth-based West Coast Eagles, will work with the venue on a range of activations. This includes Crown Perth becoming his principal entertainment and venue partner.
Reid will host exclusive events at Crown Perth, take part in guest promotions and make surprise appearances.
Crown Perth chief marketing and gaming officer Carter Bair said: “There’s a huge amount of interest in Harley and his AFL future, and now we can proudly say we know exactly where he’s staying,” he said.
“He’s already a much-loved, dynamic player with passion for entertaining fans, so it’s the perfect alignment for us.”
