After two weeks of disastrous hearings related to the ongoing Bell Two inquiry into the suitability of Star Sydney, Star Entertainment has announced that Chairman David Foster is out and has been replaced by Anne Ward effective immediately, according to filings with the Australian Securities Exchange.
In the filing, Star said that Foster will remain on the board in a non-executive role and will continue to fill in as CEO until a permanent replacement is named in the coming weeks.
Foster’s demotion and eventual departure is just the latest in what has been a managerial exodus for the company since its regulatory troubles began in 2021. Former CEO Robbie Cooke departed in late March, also due to fallout related to Bell Two.
In the first two rounds of hearings, Foster was found to have sent messages to Cooke about having to potentially “go to war” with the NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) and about Foster’s desire to replace the NICC with a different body that would oversee both casinos and bars and clubs, where the majority of gaming machines in the state are located.
Both expressed regret for their conduct, but Cooke was especially combative, arguing that the relationship between Star and the NICC had become a “one-way street” rather than a collaborative effort.
The third week of hearings began April 29, and included comments from Ward, who said that the rest of the board “had come to the conclusion that new leadership was required,” according to the ABC.
She also posited that Star would announce a replacement for Foster within the next six to eight weeks.
