CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, MACAU
Galaxy Entertainment Group
POWER SCORE: 998
POSITION LAST YEAR: 16
CLAIMS TO FAME
- Helped launch The Venetian Macao in 2007
- Decades of experience in senior management, specializing in mass market
- Long-time, trusted deputy of Galaxy Vice Chairman Francis Lui
IT IS NOW SIX YEARS since Kevin Kelley was appointed as Galaxy’s Chief Operating Officer, Macau, well and truly establishing him as Francis Lui’s key man on the ground.
Nevertheless, Kelley’s 40+ years of industry experience – he enjoyed executive stints with Golden Nugget, Station Casinos, Hard Rock and Las Vegas Sands before joining Galaxy – has never brought challenges like these past two years.
At least Galaxy, with its net cash stockpile of US$4 billion, is well positioned to ride out the COVID-19 storm. And Kelley has had plenty to keep him occupied, with the company busy developing Galaxy Macau Phase 3, due to open in 2022, and Phase 4, due in 2024.
When complete, the two phases will add an additional eight new branded hotels to the property’s already substantial offerings, including Singapore’s famous Raffles, plus a hefty new convention center and more gaming, retail and F&B space.
With Kelley’s help, Galaxy Entertainment Group has good reason to be confident its new additions will help grow the pie. Prior to COVID-19, the company held around 21% of Macau’s market share – making it one of the SAR’s big two alongside Sands China. With the opening of two new phases, analysts are already predicting Galaxy will increase that share across all market segments, and particularly in the lucrative mass and premium mass – suggesting sunnier days are ahead.
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