GGRAsia – Ellen Whittemore new EVP, counsel at Wynn Resorts

Ellen Whittemore new EVP, counsel at Wynn Resorts

Jul 23, 2018 Newsdesk Latest News, Top of the deck, World

U.S.-based casino operator Wynn Resorts Ltd filed a statement on Friday identifying Ellen Whittemore as the company’s new executive vice president and general counsel.

Ms Whittemore has been linked to law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP in Las Vegas, and she is known for her experience in gaming law and regulatory practice.

According to a press release issued when she moved to Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck in 2016, Ms Whittemore has represented some of the world’s largest gaming companies before the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the Nevada Gaming Commission in licensing, disciplinary, and gaming and entertainment tax matters.

The Wynn Resorts statement said Ms Whittemore took on the new roles on July 16, a day after Kim Sinatra stepped down as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for the firm.

Ms Sinatra had joined Wynn Resorts in 2004, assuming the role of general counsel and corporate secretary in 2006. She also served as an officer of several of the company’s subsidiaries. The company did not make public the terms of Ms Sinatra’s departure.

Wynn Resorts is the parent company of Macau casino operator Wynn Macau Ltd. Ms Sinatra was also a non-executive board member of the Macau unit.

Ms Sinatra’s exit was the latest high-profile change at the Las Vegas-based casino firm: its founder, Steve Wynn, resigned in February over allegations of sexual harassment.

The structure of the Wynn Resorts’ board has changed dramatically over the past four months, with 60 percent of the directors that had been in place at the start of the year now having departed.