Cooke officially began his tenure as the fourth CEO of The Star on 17 October 2022, following his announcement as the new leader in July. His appointment was contingent on obtaining several regulatory approvals, which have now been confirmed. This change marks Cooke as the fourth individual to lead The Star in 2022; he succeeds Matt Bekier, who resigned amid a New South Wales investigation, John O'Neill, and Geoff Hogg. Hogg had assumed the role of acting chief executive after O'Neill stepped down prior to providing evidence in the review. Cooke's appointment received authorization from chairman Ben Heap.
The Star has experienced a turbulent year, characterized by numerous investigations and alarming findings. A probe into The Star's casino in Sydney determined that it was unsuitable to hold a licence in New South Wales, leading to a AU$100 million penalty and an indefinite licence suspension issued last month. Additionally, the operator was recently classified as unfit to hold a licence in Queensland and is currently facing a securities class action lawsuit in Victoria.
On 18 November, The Star announced the appointment of Anne Ward as a non-executive director, effective immediately. Ward's appointment, proposed on 15 August, has only recently received the necessary approvals.
