Inside Asian Gaming has published its latest list of the Asian gaming industry’s 50 biggest movers and shakers. Las Vegas Sands honcho Sheldon Adelson (pictured) retains his place atop the list, reflecting the 81-year-old’s undisputed position as titan of the world’s largest gaming company. The whole list, complete with detailed bios, is available here.
Galaxy Entertainment Group deputy chairman Francis Lui continues to occupy the runner-up position, while Genting Bhd CEO Lim Kok Thay held on to third, despite his company’s lack of a casino presence in Macau, the world’s top gambling hub. In fact, the only changes in the top-10 had Sands China president Edward Tracy swap last year’s #10 for MGM Resorts CEO James Murren’s #9 and vice-versa.
Genting’s Lim aside, Macau-based operators account for the entire top-10, but Alvin Chau stands out at in seventh place as the chairman of mega-junket operator Suncity Group, making Chau the only top-tenner not representing any single casino concessionaire. The next highest junket operator is Neptune Group CEO Nicholas Niglio at #18.
Universal Entertainment chairman Kazuo Okada saw the most dramatic rise, leaping from 2013’s #22 all the way to #11, despite a year that saw his already troubled Philippine resort casino project lose its local partner. Trouble in the Philippines caused last year’s #20, Global Gaming Asset Management’s William Weidner, to fall off the list entirely due to his falling out with the operators of Solaire Resort & Casino, whose sacking of last year’s #30 Michael French also caused French to drop of the charts.
Other notable gainers include Genting Malaysia Bhd president Lee Choong Yan, who went from #28 to #17, reflecting the massive upgrade Genting is bestowing upon its Resorts World Genting property, which now has the second highest EBITDA margins in the business, behind only Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands. Tony Fung, whose Aquis Reef Holdings has been aggressive about expanding into Australia, jumped from #50 to #37.
The full list reads as follows:
1. Sheldon Adelson, Chairman and CEO, Las Vegas Sands Corp.
2. Francis Lui, Deputy Chairman, Galaxy Entertainment Group
3. Lim Kok Thay, Executive Chairman and CEO, Genting Berhad
4. Lawrence Ho, Co-Chairman and CEO, Melco Crown Entertainment
5. Steve Wynn, Chairman and CEO, Wynn Resorts
6. Ambrose So, Executive Director and CEO, SJM Holdings; Chairman, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau
7. Alvin Chau, Chairman, Suncity Group
8. James Packer, Executive Chairman, Crown Resorts; Co-Chairman, Melco Crown Entertainment
9. Edward Tracy, President and CEO, Sands China
10. James Murren, Chairman and CEO, MGM Resorts International
11. Kazuo Okada, Chairman, Universal Entertainment
12. Michael Mecca, President and COO, Galaxy Entertainment Group
13. Angela Leong, Executive Director, SJM Holdings; Managing Director, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau
14. George Tanasijevich, President and CEO, Marina Bay Sands
15. Tan Hee Teck, President and COO, Genting Singapore; CEO, Resorts World Sentosa
16. Linda Chan, Executive Director and COO, Wynn Macau
17. Lee Choong Yan, President and COO, Genting Malaysia
18. Nicholas Niglio, Executive Director and CEO, Neptune Group
19. Ted Chan, CEO, Melco Crown Entertainment
20. Kingson Sian, President, Travellers Internationals Hotel Group
21. Chen Lip Keong, CEO and Executive Director, NagaCorp
22. Enrique Razon Jr, Chairman and CEO, Bloomberry Resorts
23. Rowen Craigie, Management Director and CEO, Crown Resorts
24. Philip Chun, Chairman and CEO, Paradise Group
25. Hajime Satomi, Chairman, President and CEO, Sega Sammy Holdings
26. Dhammika Perera, Chairman and Managing Director, Vallibel One
27. Matt Bekier, CEO and Managing Director, Echo Entertainment
28. Clarence Chung, Chairman and President, Melco Crown Philippines; Chairman and CEO, Entertainment Gaming Asia
29. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO, Hong Kong Jockey Club
30. David Chow, Co-Chairman and CEO, Macau Legend Development
31. Thomas Arasino, President and CEO, Solaire Resort & Casino
32. Choi Hung-jib, President and CEO, Kangwon Land Inc.
33. Jack Lam, Chairman, Jimei Group
34. Sonny Yeungno, Chairman, Success Universe Group
35. Yoji Sato, Chairman, Dynam Holdings
36. Nigel Morrison, Managing Director, SKYCITY Entertainment Group
37. Tony Fung, Founder and Chairman, Aquis Reef Holdings
38. Colin Pine, General Director, Ho Tram Project Company
39. Lim Byoung-soo, President and CEO, Grand Korean Leisure
40. Albert Yeung, Chairman, Emperor Group
41. Stephen Hung, Co-Chairman and Executive Director, Louis XIII Holdings
42. Matt Hurst, Executive VP, Tiger Resorts, Leisure and Entertainment
43. Jaydev Mody, Chairman, Delta Corp.
44. Dennis Valdes, President, PhilWeb Corp.
45. Steven Tight, President International Development, Caesars Entertainment
46. Cristino Naguiat, Chairman and CEO, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation
47. Constance Hsu, General Manager, Altira Macau
48. Ravi Wijeratne, Chairman, Rank Holdings (Pvt) Ltd
49. Han Chang-woo, Chairman and CEO, Maruhan Group
50. Joey Lim, Managing Director and CEO, Donaco International
