Melco International Development Ltd, an investor in Asian casino developer Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd, announced on Tuesday the appointment of Evan Winkler (pictured) as managing director. The appointment took effect on Tuesday, the company said in a press release.
Mr Winkler will be responsible for Melco International’s growth strategy and performance. He will report directly to the firm’s chairman and chief executive, Lawrence Ho Yau Lung.
Prior to joining Melco International, Mr Winkler served as a managing director at Moelis and Co LLC, a global investment bank. The institution assisted Melco Crown in drafting a contingency plan on business strategy – in relation to the allocation by the Macau government of new-to-market gaming tables for the Studio City casino project, which opened in October 2015.
Mr Winkler had previously served as managing director and co-head of technology, media and telecommunications merger and acquisitions at UBS Investment Bank.
Mr Ho said the company had “great pleasure” in welcoming Mr Winkler to the company. “Evan has been involved in various corporate transactions of the company’s subsidiary Melco Crown Entertainment,” Mr Ho added in a statement accompanying the release.
“His wealth of experience and strong history with the company will unquestionably expedite the company’s international expansion drive, including efforts that are already under way, and ultimately increase shareholder value,” said Mr Ho.
Mr Winkler has also been appointed as an additional member of Melco International’s executive committee, finance committee, regulatory compliance committee and corporate social responsibility committee. He will also be appointed as a director of various subsidiaries of the company, according to Tuesday’s release.
Mr Ho and Melco International – or entities controlled or led by Mr Ho – have casino interests in Macau, in the Philippines, and in the Russian Far East. Melco International is currently in the run for a casino licence in the Republic of Cyprus.
Mr Ho had said previously that it wanted Melco International to be positioned as a leading international gaming operator. Melco International will become Melco Crown’s single largest shareholder, as James Packer’s Crown Resorts Ltd decided to reduce its stake to 27.4 percent earlier this year.
