The Star Entertainment Group’s Sydney casino licence will be suspended at the end of this week and the company fined $100 million in the wake of the Bell inquiry, with the NSW Independent Casino Commission declaring that incoming CEO Robbie Cook has a ‘lot of work to do’ to get the casino operator back on track.

BusinessNewsAustralia reports NICC chief commissioner Philip Crawford also announced that expert advisor Nicholas Weeks would be appointed as manager of The Star’s casino licence once the suspension takes effect this Friday.

Crawford says despite a letter of contrition issued last month by The Star’s interim executive chairman Ben Heap admitting to the gravity of the group’s shortcomings, the outcome could have been different for the casino group if it weren't for Cooke's appointment to address leadership shortcomings. 

“The remediation plan contained in The Star submission did not make much sense without the leadership of a competent and experienced CEO,” says Crawford.

“We have met with Mr Cook and he presents to us as someone who is absolutely capable of providing the strong leadership required at The Star.”

The website said Cooke, who formerly led lotteries giant Tatts Group and hotel booking platform Wotif.com, assumes the CEO’s role at The Star, with Heap returning to his non-executive role at the group.

Read the full report here.

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