Great Canadian Entertainment CEO Tony Rodio has announced his retirement. The company has appointed COO Matthew Anfinson to succeed Rodio as its new CEO. Rodio will also step down from his role as Director of the company’s board.
Anfinson has worked in several leadership positions, including as SVP of Operations for Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas prior to joining Great Canadian.
Anfinson described his appointment as “an enormous privilege” and said he looks forward to the company’s future.
He said: “It is an enormous privilege to lead Great Canadian Entertainment, especially at this defining juncture of the Company as we set a new industry standard for gaming and entertainment in Canada.
“We remain focused on continuously enhancing the overall experience for our guests, delivering long-term growth and value creation for our stakeholders, and doing so in a socially responsible way."
Great Canadian Chairperson of the Board and Apollo Partner Alex van Hoek commended Rodio for his service to the company and wished him well on behalf of the board.
He commented: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, the management team and Great Canadian’s team members, we want to thank Tony for his outstanding leadership.
“Tony has guided the company through a transformative period of recovery and growth, while navigating the industry-wide challenges of Covid-19. His contributions to Great Canadian will be valued by the Company, our team members and our guests for many years to come.”
He went on to add that the company is excited for Anfinson to step into his new role.
He concluded by saying: “We are also pleased to name Matthew as CEO, whom we are excited to have lead Great Canadian in its next chapter.
“Matthew is a North American leader in our industry with a deep understanding of the business. He has been responsible for driving top-line growth across all 25 of our properties and has held leadership roles in operations, marketing and analytics.”
