40 Thomas Arasi
PRESIDENT AND COO
Solaire Resort & Casino
CLAIMS TO FAME
• Turned Solaire’s fortunes around
• Serves as President, COO and Director of parent company Bloomberry
POWER SCORE 621 LAST YEAR 50
Tom Arasi is one of this year’s biggest movers on the Asian Gaming Power 50, up 10 places on the back of a remarkable year for Manila’s Entertainment City resorts – and Solaire in particular. Since joining Bloomberry Resorts as Solaire President and COO in late 2013, Arasi has not only earned the trust of one of the country’s richest men, Enrique Razon Jr, he has also helped make him even richer with the Philippines market leader enjoying a record breaking year in 2017.
Bloomberry’s profit for the first half of the year reached a record Php4.1 billion (US$81.4 million) – the highest on record and 24 times more than the same period in 2016 – with VIP GGR in 2Q17 setting a new company record and mass market revenue the second-highest recorded. In 3Q17 they did it again, with mass revenue hitting an all-time high as Bloomberry raked in another Php1.9 billion in profit.
While Solaire had the advantage of being the first IR to open in the Entertainment City precinct, it nevertheless suffered a rocky start and it is the management initiatives implemented by Arasi and his team upon arrival seven months later that are widely credited for steadying the ship.
To return to the full list of 2017 Asian Gaming Power 50 winners, click here.