European casinos: Leading a business through the Covid-19 crisis

Much has been made of the challenges that Europe’s casinos have faced in the past 18 months, but what of those faced by the executives tasked with leading them through this period?

Clarion Gaming managing director Stuart Hunter speaks to JOA Group’s Laurent Lassiaz and Casino Helsinki’s Tiina Siltanen about how they have dealt with a year of disruption.

Siltanen describes 2020 as “a crash course in crisis management”, going from focusing on long-term strategy to making day-to-day decisions, and multiple tough calls. However, she says this in turn has led to closer communication and interactions between management and staff. Empathy has become as important a skill as strategic nous, she says.

Lassiaz says it’s difficult on a personal level, as a totally unique and new experience, and as a senior manager, admits it has been a lonely experience at times. This, he says, has made the support offered by the ECA through contact with executives in a similar situation all the more vital.