Australia’s Crown Resorts has continued to rebuild its boardroom and executive leadership teams with the appointment of Anne Ward as an independent director and Craig Durham as group company secretary and legal counsel.
Ward is currently chairwoman of fellow ASX-listed companies Redbubble and MNF Group and a council member at RMIT University. She is the fourth new member of the Crown board since the February release of the Bergin Report, which rendered the company unsuitable to retain its casino license in New South Wales and prompted royal commissions into its suitability in Victoria and Western Australia.
Ward, who will serve as an independent non-executive director subject, was described by Crown as an experienced company director with expertise in business management, strategy, governance, risk and finance across sectors including financial services, technology, healthcare, government, education and tourism.
“Crown has been an integral part of my hometown Melbourne for many years and I am excited about the opportunity to make a contribution to the board as Crown shapes its future,” she said. “I look forward to joining the board as an agent for positive change and I am committed to supporting management in implementing the reform program and driving value for shareholders.”
Crown will welcome a new group company secretary and legal counsel, Craig Durham, this week. Interim board chairwoman Jane Halton called him “an accomplished and experienced ASX listed company secretary, lawyer and governance professional with qualifications in Australia and the United States, and on behalf of the board of directors and management, we welcome Craig to Crown.”
Nigel Morrison and Bruce Carter recently joined as directors, with former telecom boss Ziggy Switkowski as chairman. The Victoria Royal Commission, which is assessing Crown’s suitability to hold its license for Crown Melbourne, is expected to hand down that decision by October 15.
