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Sydney Senior Leaders & Property Board

The Star Sydney Senior Leadership Team

John Koster

Chief Executive Officer, The Star Sydney

John is an accomplished casino and hotel executive with over 40 years’ experience. With nearly 30 years in senior leadership across multiple US states including Internationally recognised casino resorts and hotels including Caesars, Eldorado, and Harrah’s, his most recent role was serving as Regional President: Caesars East which included overall leadership of three iconic Atlantic City casino and hotel properties. He was appointed CEO of The Star Sydney on 2 March 2026 pending regulatory approvals. Having worked in five countries, John has diversified cultural exposure and strong leadership skills, with extensive experience in hotel and casino organisations. John holds an Executive MBA from Duke University as well as a Bachelor of Science.

Charles Chau
Director of Gaming Machine Operations

Henry Lien
General Manager, Property Risk &
Compliance

James St Clair
Chief Financial Officer – The Star Sydney

Mario Naim
Director of Hotels

Michael Houben-Le​
General Manager, Cashier Services​

Mika Bovan​
Acting General Manager, Gaming Guest
Development & Experience​

Rob Courtney​
Director of F&B Operations​

Scott Ballesty​
Acting General Manager, Table Games​

Steve Murray​
General Manager, Asset Protection​

Tim Banning​
General Manager, People & Culture​

The Star Sydney Property Board

Bruce Mathieson Jr

Group Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director (TSEG)

With over 30 years of experience in the hotel, hospitality and gaming industries, Bruce commenced as an Observer on The Star Board on 1 September 2025. He is currently Director and CEO of Bruce Mathieson Group and a Director of Ord Minnett Investment Limited. Mr Mathieson is a former non-executive director of ASX listed Endeavour Group Limited and also, among other roles, was the CEO of ALH Group for over 11 years, during which he led the successful merger with Endeavour Drinks to form Endeavour Group in 2019 and the demerger of Endeavour Group and Woolworths in 2021. He has a Bachelor of Commerce, from Bond University.

John Koster

Chief Executive Officer, The Star Sydney

John is an accomplished casino and hotel executive with over 40 years’ experience. With nearly 30 years in senior leadership across multiple US states including Internationally recognised casino resorts and hotels including Caesars, Eldorado, and Harrah’s, his most recent role was serving as Regional President: Caesars East which included overall leadership of three iconic Atlantic City casino and hotel properties. He was appointed CEO of The Star Sydney on 2 March 2026 pending regulatory approvals. Having worked in five countries, John has diversified cultural exposure and strong leadership skills, with extensive experience in hotel and casino organisations. John holds an Executive MBA from Duke University as well as a Bachelor of Science.

Helen Galloway

Chair, The Star Sydney

Helen Galloway (FCPA, FAICD) is a business leader with core skills in Strategy, Finance, Information Systems and Analytics. An experienced governance professional, she is currently Chair of an APRA regulated Authorised Deposit Institution (ADI), and believes good governance arises from continual focus on board culture and quality information to the Board. Her board room experience involves highly regulated industries, consumer facing businesses, Government board roles, compliance and significant projects. Helen has breadth across multiple industries including Retail Banking, Gaming, Energy, Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism along with breadth across segments of listed, Government, Not for Profit & Member owned organisations.

Heather Scheibenstock

Board Member, The Star Sydney

Heather Scheibenstock is a prominent board member with extensive experience in corporate leadership, particularly in the gaming and hospitality industries. With over 35 years of experience, she has held various leadership roles, including being a member of the Audit and Risk Committee at SenSen Networks Ltd. and has a strong background in strategic planning and business development.

Andrew Joliffe

Board Member, The Star Sydney

Over the past 30 years, Andrew Jolliffe has been at the helm of some of Australia’s most high profile and high performing hospitality and gaming indexed property businesses. During this time, Andrew occupied numerous Senior Executive roles, including General Manager of the successful Palace Leisure Group (PLG), Managing Director of Grant Samuel Private Equity Hospitality Fund and Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of ASX listed hotel and gaming company National, Leisure and Gaming Limited.

Craig Dumas He/Him

Gaming Operations Manager/ Proud@TheStar Co-Lead
2024 Network Leader of the Year

Tell Us about yourself.

I joined Proud (formerly known as Spectrum) in 2017 and officially assumed the Co-Lead role in November 2021. I have been part of the company for over 21 years, serving in various capacities.

Why did you join Proud@TheStar?

My journey with Spectrum/Proud began during the marriage plebiscite, a time that placed the LGBTQI+ communities under intense scrutiny. The narrative was often harmful and derogatory, particularly from certain media and public spheres.

My involvement was driven by a deep-seated commitment to be a beacon of support and positivity for those in need. The power of visibility is profound, especially for individuals from diverse backgrounds. Witnessing allies and LGBTQI+ members who embraced their identity with openness and pride inspired me to be true to myself. In turn, I aspired to be that source of encouragement and affirmation for others, fostering an environment where authenticity is celebrated and safeguarded. 

In your opinion, what was your most significant achievement as Co-Lead of Proud@TheStar?

There are so many to list, but I have three achievements that stand out.

The first was being involved with our first-ever successful AWEI Gold Employer status. It was such a fantastic recognition of what Proud and The Star have achieved (and we smashed the previous year’s score, which made it even better).

Secondly, I was invited to help reintroduce a team member who was affirming their gender to their department. It was an absolute joy to see the collaboration from all the stakeholders and how their team welcomed them with open arms. Seeing a person’s growth and change since they affirmed has been remarkable and is the perfect story of how allowing people to be their authentic selves really does create a positive impact.

And lastly, of course, winning Network Leader of the Year and Employer of the Year at the 2024 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards.

What does winning Network Lead of the Year mean to you?

I cried. That’s the Piscean in me. In all seriousness, though, I was really honoured to be nominated and a finalist. So, when my name was announced, I was utterly shocked! Without the dedication of the Proud team, we would never have been able to achieve what we had. Being able to co-lead a group of passionate and driven people is an absolute pleasure, and they are what fuelled me to keep going, even when it did get a little tough.

What do we do best here at the Star in terms of D&I?

We involve everybody and create a safe and inclusive work culture. Our PVP shows that we are serious about embedding D&I into our business.

What advice can you give as an outgoing Co-Lead?

Allyship is a crucial part of transforming conversations. Even for those who identify as LGBTQI+, we can still be allies for others within the community. Alarming laws and legislation have been passed in other countries that can significantly impact people’s lives. As a business, The Star is ahead of many in our industry in terms of diversity and inclusion, but there’s still a lot to do. The Trans and gender-diverse communities are starting to feel vulnerable, so let’s continue to work on making The Star a safe and inclusive place for everyone, esp., for trans and gender-diverse team members.

Craig Dumas He/Him

Gaming Operations Manager/ Proud@TheStar Co-Lead
2024 Network Leader of the Year

Tell Us about yourself.

I joined Proud (formerly known as Spectrum) in 2017 and officially assumed the Co-Lead role in November 2021. I have been part of the company for over 21 years, serving in various capacities.

Why did you join Proud@TheStar?

My journey with Spectrum/Proud began during the marriage plebiscite, a time that placed the LGBTQI+ communities under intense scrutiny. The narrative was often harmful and derogatory, particularly from certain media and public spheres.

My involvement was driven by a deep-seated commitment to be a beacon of support and positivity for those in need. The power of visibility is profound, especially for individuals from diverse backgrounds. Witnessing allies and LGBTQI+ members who embraced their identity with openness and pride inspired me to be true to myself. In turn, I aspired to be that source of encouragement and affirmation for others, fostering an environment where authenticity is celebrated and safeguarded. 

In your opinion, what was your most significant achievement as Co-Lead of Proud@TheStar?

There are so many to list, but I have three achievements that stand out.

The first was being involved with our first-ever successful AWEI Gold Employer status. It was such a fantastic recognition of what Proud and The Star have achieved (and we smashed the previous year’s score, which made it even better).

Secondly, I was invited to help reintroduce a team member who was affirming their gender to their department. It was an absolute joy to see the collaboration from all the stakeholders and how their team welcomed them with open arms. Seeing a person’s growth and change since they affirmed has been remarkable and is the perfect story of how allowing people to be their authentic selves really does create a positive impact.

And lastly, of course, winning Network Leader of the Year and Employer of the Year at the 2024 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards.

What does winning Network Lead of the Year mean to you?

I cried. That’s the Piscean in me. In all seriousness, though, I was really honoured to be nominated and a finalist. So, when my name was announced, I was utterly shocked! Without the dedication of the Proud team, we would never have been able to achieve what we had. Being able to co-lead a group of passionate and driven people is an absolute pleasure, and they are what fuelled me to keep going, even when it did get a little tough.

What do we do best here at the Star in terms of D&I?

We involve everybody and create a safe and inclusive work culture. Our PVP shows that we are serious about embedding D&I into our business.

What advice can you give as an outgoing Co-Lead?

Allyship is a crucial part of transforming conversations. Even for those who identify as LGBTQI+, we can still be allies for others within the community. Alarming laws and legislation have been passed in other countries that can significantly impact people’s lives. As a business, The Star is ahead of many in our industry in terms of diversity and inclusion, but there’s still a lot to do. The Trans and gender-diverse communities are starting to feel vulnerable, so let’s continue to work on making The Star a safe and inclusive place for everyone, esp., for trans and gender-diverse team members.

2016 SHARE SALE FACILITIES

The Star Entertainment Group announced on 5 April 2016 share sale facilities that provided eligible small shareholders the opportunity to sell their shares without incurring any brokerage or handling costs.

Participation in the separate share sale facilities were open to eligible shareholders whose registered address was in Australia or New Zealand as at 7.00pm (Sydney time) on 29 March 2016 (Record Date) and who were:

  1. registered holders of less than a marketable parcel of shares (i.e. less than $500 worth of shares on the Record Date) (Small Holding Sale Facility); or
  2. registered holders of 5,000 or less shares (but held at least $500 worth of shares) on the Record Date (Voluntary Share Sale Facility).

On 5 April 2016, eligible shareholders were sent a letter together with a Share Retention Form (for the Small Holding Sale Facility) or a Sale Instruction Form (for the Voluntary Share Sale Facility), and Terms and Conditions for the relevant share sale facility.

Both share sale facilities closed at 5:00pm (Sydney time) on 17 May 2016 (Closing Date).

All participants who had their SGR shares sold under either the Small Holding Sale Facility or the Voluntary Share Sale Facility received the same average price of $5.51 per share, which was calculated by dividing the total proceeds from the sale of all SGR shares sold under the facilities by the total number of SGR shares sold under the facilities.

Payment of the sale proceeds were made to participating shareholders on 27 May 2016 in accordance with their payment instructions as recorded on the share register.

Small Holding Sale Facility

The Small Holding Sale Facility was conducted in accordance with The Star Entertainment Group’s Constitution and the Australian Securities Exchange Listing Rules that enables all listed companies to sell shareholdings valued at less than $500 (Unmarketable Parcel).

Based on a share price of $5.68, being the closing price of The Star Entertainment Group (SGR) shares on the Australian Securities Exchange on the Record Date, an Unmarketable Parcel was any holding of 88 shares or less.

Eligible shareholders who wished to retain their Unmarketable Parcel were required to return a Share Retention Form to the share registry by the Closing Date.

Small Holding Facility Key Dates:

  • 29 March 2016 (7pm) – Record Date
  • 5 April 2016 – Facility Opened
  • 17 May 2016 (5pm) – Facility Closed
  • 27 May 2016 – Payment of sale proceeds and mailing of payment advices

Voluntary Share Sale Facility

The Voluntary Share Sale Facility was conducted in accordance with Class Order CO 08/10 issued by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.

Eligible shareholders who wished to sell their shares under the Voluntary Share Sale Facility were required to return a Sale Instruction Form by the Closing Date.

Voluntary Holding Facility Key Dates:

  • 29 March 2016 (7pm) – Record Date
  • 5 April 2016 – Facility Opened
  • 17 May 2016 (5pm) – Facility Closed
  • 27 May 2016 – Payment of sale proceeds and mailing of payment advices

For full details of the Small Holding Sale Facility and the Voluntary Share Sale Facility, please see the ASX Announcement dated 5 April 2016 in the News section of our website.

POST DEMERGER TAX INFORMATION

The demerger of The Star Entertainment Group (formerly known as Echo Entertainment Group Limited) from Tabcorp Holdings Limited (Tabcorp) was implemented on 15 June 2011 by way of Scheme of Arrangement pursuant to the Tabcorp Scheme Booklet dated 15 April 2011 (Demerger).

As part of the Demerger, Tabcorp sought a ruling from the Australian Taxation Office on the taxation implications for shareholders. On 29 June 2011, the Australian Taxation Office issued Class Ruling CR 2011/66, in accordance with the application made by Tabcorp. A copy of the Class Ruling CR 2011/66 can be viewed here.

A Tax Calculator is provided below to assist shareholders in calculating the Australian capital gains tax cost base allocation for Tabcorp shares and The Star Entertainment Group shares. The Tax Calculator is a general guide only and does not constitute tax advice. Shareholders should seek advice from an appropriate professional adviser on the tax implications of the Demerger based on their own individual circumstances.

Click here to download the Tax Calculator
Click here to access information on the Australian Taxation Office website

The Star Entertainment Group
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