Petra de Ruiter has been appointed as the new CEO of Holland Casino, effective September 2023, pending necessary background checks. Currently, she serves as the chief operating officer at Transavia, where she oversees business operations alongside the CEO and CFO. De Ruiter has held various positions at Air France-KLM since 1998.
She will be joining the management team at Holland Casino, working alongside chief financial officer Ruud Bergervoet and chief operating officer Malinda Miener. De Ruiter succeeds Erwin van Lambaart, who resigned in April 2023 to take the CEO position at Casinos Austria—a move he elaborated on during the ICE365 Live studio event at ICE London last month.
De Ruiter expressed her enthusiasm for her new role by stating, "Hospitality is in the DNA of all employees at Holland Casino, a crucial and differentiating value, which is also vital in my current job. Whether online or offline, every guest simply wants to feel seen, heard and valued. Holland Casino is a cordial, responsible and leading entertainment company with 3,500 employees who want the best for all guests every day."
She added, "I look forward to personally getting to know many new colleagues from the venues and from the online casino business – after all, they are the face of our company. I am grateful to Transavia and all colleagues for the past years. At the same time, I am also very much looking forward to this new role and this great challenge."
Holland Casino was one of the first ten licensees when the Netherlands established its regulated online gambling market the previous year.
Willem Bröcker, chairman of the supervisory board, noted that de Ruiter’s expertise in enhancing guest experiences and operational excellence makes her an excellent fit for the role. He commented, "With our 14 locations and now an online [offering], we work in a highly regulated sector and operate in a complex stakeholder field. Proven expertise is of great importance."
In April 2023, Holland Casino reported a revenue decline of 8.7% year-on-year, totaling €304.2 million for 2021, as the introduction of online gaming did not sufficiently counterbalance the revenue loss due to continuing venue closures from the Covid-19 pandemic.
