Ben Wyatt has been appointed Director and Chair-Elect to Crown Perth’s board, subject to regulatory approval. The former West Australian politician served 15 years in state parliament and held several ministerial roles, including Treasurer.
Current Chair John Van Der Wielen will stay on the board for the coming months. He’ll help ensure a smooth transition to new leadership.
Brian Pereira gets promoted to Crown Perth CEO, pending regulatory approvals. He joined Crown in 2023 as Chief Financial Officer after working as CFO at Perth Airport.
Pereira brings over 30 years of financial and corporate leadership experience. His background spans tourism, entertainment, aviation and banking sectors in Australia and the UK.
The appointments complete what executives call one of Australia’s most complex business transformations. Crown Perth has undergone major changes over the past three years.
“Both of these appointees are highly regarded and are ideally positioned to lead Crown Perth,” said John Borghetti, Chair of Crown Resorts.
Crown Resorts CEO David Tsai believes the new leaders have deep local knowledge of WA’s tourism sector and economy. This positions them well to guide the resort’s next growth phase.
Van Der Wielen will work alongside Wyatt during the transition period. The current chair has led Crown Perth since 2022 through its transformation process.
“Appointing a new CEO and Chair-Elect brings to fruition much of the significant work undertaken in the last three years,” Van Der Wielen said.
Wyatt highlighted Crown’s role as Western Australia’s largest single site employer. The resort remains a key part of the state’s economy.
Pereira will lead more than 5,000 employees at what he calls “Perth’s ultimate entertainment destination.” The new CEO expressed pride in joining the leadership team.
“I look forward being a part of a growing business that continues to create memorable guest experiences,” Pereira said.
Wyatt said he’s excited to join a business that delivers Perth’s most exciting developments and tourism opportunities.
The leadership changes signal Crown Perth’s confidence in its transformation. But regulatory approval still needs to come through for both appointments.
In April 2025, Crown Perth secured partnerships with two Western Australian AFL teams, The West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Football Club. The partnership was part of Crown Perth’s ongoing initiative to engage with local communities in Western Australia and boost tourism in the region.
Both teams involved in the partnership compete in the Australian Football League (AFL) and have a historic rivalry with each other.
Crown Perth Interim CEO Brian Pereria commented on the partnership and its impact, stating: “Crown is a significant contributor to the local and national tourism industry, driving opportunities in sport, entertainment and tourism in every state we operate in. Supporting both of these teams through our partnership reflects the focus Crown places on being part of the community we operate in.”
