Aristocrat Leisure names Dafne Guisard CEO-elect as Trevor Croker plans retirement
She will succeed Trevor Croker in April 2027 after a transition period and pending regulatory approvals.
LAS VEGAS · Aristocrat Leisure Limited has named Dafne Guisard as its next chief executive officer, with current CEO and managing director Trevor Croker intending to retire in April 2027. The appointment is subject to regulatory pre-approvals, and a comprehensive transition is planned. Guisard, who joined Aristocrat's executive team in early 2026 as chief commercial officer for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, will relocate from the company's London office to Las Vegas to take up the role. Neil Chatfield, chairman of the Aristocrat board, said the board considered Guisard the ideal choice. "Dafne is an outstanding product and people-focused executive with a strong commitment to customers," Chatfield said in a statement. "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." The board sought external advice and assessed both internal and external candidates before making the selection.
Guisard has also taken on responsibility for the Product Madness operating business since joining Aristocrat. Prior to that, she served as chief operating officer at the global gaming company Entain and was chief strategy, digital and transformation officer at Kraft Heinz. She spent nine years in executive commercial and finance roles at Anheuser-Busch InBev and holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management. Croker will remain with the company for 12 months from the announcement to support the transition. By his retirement, he will have served more than a decade as CEO and spent 18 years in senior leadership at Aristocrat. Chatfield said the company's market capitalization grew fourfold to almost $40 billion during Croker's tenure, with an adjusted earnings per share compound annual growth rate of 15 percent.
"It has been a privilege to lead Aristocrat through a decade of significant change and opportunity," Croker said. "Now is therefore the ideal time to begin the process of the CEO transition. I am delighted to congratulate Dafne on her appointment as CEO-elect and look forward to working closely with her over the coming period." Chatfield added that Croker's leadership cemented Aristocrat's product leadership across regulated markets and strengthened the company's culture.
Guisard said she was honoured by the appointment. "I am deeply honoured to be chosen to lead this great business as CEO, and am excited at the opportunities ahead," Guisard said. "I look 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." She is expected to formally succeed Croker in April next year.