Aristocrat Appoints Dafne Guisard as CEO, Trevor Croker to Retire April 2027

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd has named Dafne Guisard as its CEO-elect and said long-time chief executive and managing director Trevor Croker intends to retire in April 2027. The appointment is subject to any necessary regulatory pre-approvals, and Mr Croker will remain with the company to support Ms Guisard for 12 months from the announcement, until mid-November 2027.

Appointment and transition plan

The board said it "sought external advice, and considered both internal and external candidates" before selecting Ms Guisard. She is expected to succeed Mr Croker in April 2027 following what Aristocrat described as "a comprehensive transition". The company added the appointment is subject to the receipt of any necessary regulatory pre-approvals.

Ms Guisard will relocate from Aristocrat’s London office in the United Kingdom to Las Vegas, Nevada, in the United States to take up the CEO role. Trevor Croker will remain with Aristocrat until mid-November 2027 to support the handover.

Background on Dafne Guisard

Ms Guisard joined Aristocrat’s executive team in early 2026 as chief commercial officer for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Aristocrat said she "has since also taken on responsibility for the Product Madness operating business," the firm’s social gaming arm.

Before joining Aristocrat, Ms Guisard served as chief operating officer of global gaming company Entain. She also held positions in investment banking and consulting and holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management.

"Dafne is an outstanding product- and people-focused executive with a strong commitment to customers," Aristocrat’s chairman Neil Chatfield said. "She has an exceptional track record of delivering growth and transformation across multiple complex consumer industries,with global experience, and deep product and technology skills."

Board rationale and Croker's tenure

Mr Chatfield said the board considered Ms Guisard the "ideal choice" to succeed Mr Croker and noted it had "had regard to the benefits of an internal appointment, including performance continuity and scope for a seamless transition." The chairman expressed appreciation for Mr Croker’s tenure "after what will have been more than a decade as CEO and 18 years in senior leadership at Aristocrat." He added Mr Croker’s contribution "has been outstanding, with the company’s market cap growing fourfold."

Trevor Croker said in prepared remarks: "It has been a privilege to lead Aristocrat through a decade of significant change and opportunity. Now is therefore the ideal time to begin the process of the CEO transition." Ms Guisard said she was "deeply honoured" to be chosen and that she looks forward to "working closely with Trevor, the board and my executive team colleagues to ensure a smooth transition, and accelerate our momentum over coming years."

Financial context

The CEO transition announcement coincided with Aristocrat reporting results for the year ended 30 September. The firm posted revenue growth of 3.8 percent in constant currency and reported adjusted net profit after tax (NPATA) up 9.7 percent, which the company said was "driven by product leadership and market share gains in key markets, supporting underlying business momentum."

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