Long-serving executive Robert Goldstein will serve as Las Vegas Sands’ chairman and chief executive officer following the passing of the casino giant’s founder Sheldon Adelson.
Goldstein has held the roles on an interim basis since January 7 this year. He stepped in after Adelson took a medical leave of absence to undergo treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Adelson, who founded Sands in 1988 and built it into the largest private gaming business in terms of revenue by 2019, then died from complications related to the disease on 11 January.
Goldstein previously served as president and chief operating officer of the business. He joined the operator in 1995, and was appointed to its board in January 2015.
He has held a number of roles across the business. This included a period as president of global gaming operations, and executive vice president, then president and chief operating officer, of The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas.
Goldstein paid tribute to Adelson as his appointment was confirmed.
“Our spirits have been dimmer in these few weeks since his passing, but the future of the company he founded shines bright,” he said. “He would expect nothing less than an aggressive pursuit of the work he started, and I am determined to lead this company forward in a way that best honors his vision.”
As a result of Goldstein’s promotion to the top job, Patrick Dumont has replaced him as president and COO of the business. Dumont previously served as executive vice president and chief financial officer, having jointed the business in 2010.
He said he was dedicated to supporting Goldstein in meeting the business’ strategic objectives.
“Our path forward is clear and remains true to the principles our founder was committed to for so many years,” Dumont explained. “[We] will continue supporting our people and the local communities in which we operate, reinvesting in our current markets, producing strong returns for our shareholders and aggressively pursuing new development opportunities.”
The CFO role vacated by Dumont, in turn, will be filled by Randy Hyzak, previously the business’ chief accounting officer. He joined Sands in March 2016, having worked for Freescale Semiconductors.