Great Canadian Entertainment is bringing new leadership to the fore with the appointment of Matthew Anfinson as new CEO and Jordan Banks as the company’s first executive chairperson.

Anfinson previously served as the COO for Great Canadian. Prior to that, he spent several years in the US working for Caesars Entertainment.

The previous CEO, Tony Rodio, accepted the post in September 2021. During his tenure, the company went through quite a bit of growth as well as a rebrand from Great Canadian Gaming to Great Canadian Entertainment. He announced his plans to retire.

“We are also pleased to name Matthew as CEO, whom we are excited to have lead Great Canadian in its next chapter,” said Great Canadian Chairperson of the Board Alex van Hoek. “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.”

While at Caesars, Anfinson served as the SVP of Operations and helped develop revenue growth strategies for every property in the Caesars portfolio.

“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,” said Anfinson. “We are incredibly excited to bring to market what will be among the premier casino resorts in North America in 2023 with the projects currently underway at Pickering Casino Resort and Casino Woodbine, as well as new innovative programs and initiatives that will drive growth at our other properties and in local communities across the country. 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.”

Banks comes to the company from Rogers Sports & Media, where he served as President from 2019 to January of this year. Prior to that, he worked as the Managing Director of Facebook Canada.

Banks will be particularly involved in the company’s sports betting expansion across Ontario.

“I am excited to join the Great Canadian team at such an exciting time for the Company, and as the expectations of our guests and stakeholders continue to evolve across the gaming and entertainment landscapes. I look forward to being part of the team that will meet and exceed those expectations in new and innovative ways,” said Banks.