Mark Harper has been named the new Managing Director of Grosvenor Casinos, a casino brand under the Rank Group umbrella. Effective Monday, August 14, Harper’s role will encompass overseeing the operations Rank’s flagship casino unit.
Harper will join the executive committee of the LSE gambling group. His appointment follows the departure of Debbie Husband, who had a five-year tenure with the company.
Harper brings to the table a wealth of experience garnered from his role as an operating partner of Pears Partnership Capital, a division of William Pears Group. His responsibilities within this role included overseeing the leisure and hospitality portfolio.
Harper’s role is not just limited to overseeing the current operations of Grosvenor Casinos but also steering the casino brand through a post-pandemic business reorganization phase. Rank Group underscored Harper’s experience in managing transformation projects, including his work with Allied Domecq and Bourne Leisure.
Rank CEO John O’Reilly said: “Mark is a hugely experienced hospitality and leisure operator with an extensive track record of success in transforming and leading businesses. I am very much looking forward to working with him, and I am confident that Rank will greatly benefit from his expertise.
“Mark joins us at an exciting time for the land-based casino industry following the recent publication of the government’s White Paper on gambling reform. We have tremendous talent in the Grosvenor business, and Mark will help us to maximize the opportunities that are becoming available to us.”
Harper said: “I am thrilled to be joining Rank and Grosvenor Casinos at such an important time for the UK casino sector. I am looking forward to working with John and the senior team at Rank and touring the Grosvenor estate to see the business in operation, and meeting the front-line teams.”
In recent times, Rank Group has also strengthened its leadership team with the addition of Sam Allanson as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Rank Interactive, the interactive gaming division of Rank Group. Allanson’s transition from his role at Entain (formerly GVC Holdings) follows the merger of GVC with Ladbrokes Coral.