Crown Resorts gets new chair, sings welcome back Packer

Australian casino operator Crown Resorts has bid goodbye to its chairman while welcoming James Packer back to its board of directors.

On Tuesday, Crown announced that Robert Rankin was stepping down from his position as chairman of Crown’s board effective February 1. Rankin will remain a director of Crown and also as a director of Melco Crown Entertainment, the company’s international casino joint venture with Lawrence Ho’s Melco International Development.

Rankin has also stepped down as CEO of Packer’s Consolidated Press Holdings (CPH) Pty Ltd. Packer thanked Rankin for doing “a very good job” at both companies and said the exits made “the most sense for CPH and Rob personally” in light of Crown’s decision to refocus its attention on its domestic business.

The Crown chairman’s seat will be filled by John Alexander (pictured), who currently serves as the company’s executive deputy chairman. Rankin said he’d “relished the opportunity” to guide Crown through “a rapidly changing period” and expressed confidence that Crown’s ship wouldn’t sink under Alexander’s watch.