**Aristocrat Leisure Restructures Gaming Division Leadership Following CEO Departure**
Aristocrat Leisure recently unveiled a major shift in the leadership of its gaming division, following the resignation of Hector Fernandez as Chief Executive Officer of Aristocrat Gaming. The company, a prominent igaming content provider, announced this leadership change via a statement on its website, noting that Fernandez will be joining an unspecified competitor.
Taking on the helm as the new CEO is Craig Toner, the previous Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Operations at Aristocrat Gaming. His appointment is pending regulatory approvals. Toner brings over seven years of experience with Aristocrat, having held various leadership roles in business finance and operations in Australia before relocating to Las Vegas three years ago as CFO and EVP of Operations.
Toner’s professional background also includes a significant tenure of nearly two decades at Lion Ltd, a renowned alcohol and beverage company in Australia and New Zealand, where he honed his skills in senior commercial, strategy, and operational capacities.
Trevor Croker, CEO and Managing Director at Aristocrat, praised Toner’s integral role within the global leadership team, which has driven considerable growth and transformation. Croker highlighted Toner’s collaboration with the Board and Executive Steering Committee on key strategic initiatives, commending his people-centric approach and collaborative nature. Croker expressed confidence in Toner’s ability to ensure a seamless leadership transition, maintain customer focus, and continue executing strategic plans.
Hector Fernandez, who joined Aristocrat in 2018 as CFO for the Americas gaming unit and advanced to CEO of Aristocrat Gaming four years later, is now departing the company. In Aristocrat’s statement, it was mentioned that Fernandez is subject to a 12-month non-compete clause as part of his contractual obligations.
Croker extended gratitude to Fernandez for his dedication and contributions to the company over the past six years.