Summit > Speakers

IAG Academy Summit

The speakers for the 2026 IAG Academy Summit are being progressively announced below, with many more to come.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Coming soon.

CHAIRMEN

Andrew W Scott
Andrew W Scott
Chief Executive Officer, Complete Media Group
Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Inside Asian Gaming
Ben Blaschke
Ben Blaschke
Managing Editor, Inside Asian Gaming

Andrew W Scott

Chief Executive Officer, Complete Media Group
Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Inside Asian Gaming
Andrew W Scott

Andrew W. Scott is Vice Chairman and CEO of Inside Asian Gaming (IAG) and CEO of its parent, Complete Media Group (CMG), overseeing one of the most influential gaming media and event platforms worldwide, with a strong Asia-Pacific focus. His career spans high-stakes gambling, regulatory advocacy, and media leadership, giving him rare insight into the global gaming ecosystem.

Born in Australia, Andrew began his professional career in the mid-1980s with a Chartered Accounting firm, preparing accounts and tax returns and working in audit and liquidation, while also frequenting casinos. In 1993 he launched a sports betting business in Vanuatu before returning to Australia as a base from which to travel extensively, visiting over 200 casinos across the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. A regular guest on leading Australian programs including Four Corners, Sky News, A Current Affair, Today Tonight, and The Midday Show, Andrew has long commentated on gaming issues and helped shape debate on gambling fairness and regulation.

Relocating to Hong Kong in 2005 and Macau in 2009, Andrew shifted to media. He founded O MEDIA and launched World Gaming, covering Asia’s gaming industry. In 2015 O MEDIA acquired IAG, then an English-only monthly magazine.

As CEO, Andrew transformed IAG into a multi-platform leader: expanding its magazine, growing asgam.com, launching the daily IAG Breakfast Briefing, adding Chinese-language coverage, and building a thriving events business. On 1 January 2020 he was also appointed Vice Chairman. On 1 January 2025, IAG merged with US-based CDC Gaming, both becoming subsidiaries of newly formed CMG, of which Andrew became CEO.

His eclectic career has included roles as accountant, nightclub manager, sports betting operator, educator, high-stakes poker player, poker TV commentator, journalist, and publisher. Today he is a journalist and executive with deep expertise in gaming and leisure across Macau, Asia-Pacific and globally.

Andrew was named 2014 Macau Person of the Year. He is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Directors, a permanent member of the Macau Gaming Management Association, and former Vice Chairman of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Macau. He is also a member of the International Federation of Journalists, the Portuguese and English Press Association of Macau, and the Poker Tournament Directors Association. His network spans Macau, Singapore, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia, and beyond.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Tasmania (with multiple awards) and a Master of Science (International Integrated Resort Management) with honors and a perfect 4.0 GPA from the University of Macau, where his thesis examined why some Asian integrated resorts outperform others.

Andrew has chaired major international conferences, advised governments on gaming policy, and authored numerous works on regulation, investment and innovation. Having been player, advocate, entrepreneur, and executive, he commands industry credibility across many jurisdictions. Based in Macau, and continuing to travel extensively, he connects East and West with pragmatic insight, analytical rigor, and lived experience in a rapidly evolving sector.

Ben Blaschke

Managing Editor, Inside Asian Gaming
Ben Blaschke

Ben began his career as a sports journalist in Sydney in 1999, working for a number of leading news publications before his interest was piqued by the TV poker shows that frequented the airwaves late at night. He soon found himself not only playing the game but writing about it too – taking on the role of Editor for PokerNews Australasia and subsequently visiting Macau for the very first time in 2008.

He was appointed Managing Editor of World Gaming Magazine in February 2013, subsequently overseeing O MEDIA’s editorial catalogue including High Life, Hengqin Record and more. He was appointed Chief Content Officer in 2017.

In 2016, Ben became Managing Editor of Inside Asian Gaming and has spent his years since then delving ever more deeply into the business of gaming. He was instrumental in the launch of the industry-leading daily e-newsletter IAG Breakfast Briefing in April 2017.

SUMMIT SPEAKERS

Rod Hackman
Rod Hackman
VP of Gaming Operations, Hann Casino Resort
Greg Hawkins
Greg Hawkins
President and COO, Bloomberry Resort Corp
Sean Knights
Sean Knights
Chief Operating Officer, NUSTAR Resort and Casino
John Lucas
John Lucas
Chief Hospitality Officer, Newport World Resorts
Philip Stormonth
Philip Stormonth
Senior Director of Sales for Asia, Light & Wonder
Kelsey Wilhelm
Kelsey Wilhelm
Senior Contributing Editor, Inside Asian Gaming

Rod Hackman

VP of Gaming Operations, Hann Casino Resort
Rod Hackman

Rod is Vice President of Gaming Operations at Hann Casino, the largest integrated resort outside metro Manila. He joined the company in December 2025, after spending two years at Landing Casino at Jeju Shinhwa World in Jeju, Korea.

Rod has extensive management experience in Asian gaming, including five years in Macau with Galaxy and Melco and eight years as Director at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Starting in the industry in Australia in 1986, he also gained experience in South Africa and Europe before his move into the Asian IR world in 2005.

Greg Hawkins

President and COO, Bloomberry Resort Corp
Greg Hawkins

Sean Knights

Chief Operating Officer, NUSTAR Resort and Casino
Sean Knights

Sean Knights brings over three decades of global gaming and hospitality leadership to his role as Chief Operating Officer of NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu, Philippines. As the Philippines’ newest integrated resort destination, NUSTAR is poised to set new benchmarks in Southeast Asian hospitality – and under Sean’s direction, operational strategy and guest experience are world-class.

Sean’s distinguished career includes senior executive roles with industry leaders such as Delaware North, Crown Resorts, Resorts World Sentosa and Jupiters Townsville. Immediately prior to joining NUSTAR, he served as General Manager of Mindil Beach Casino Resort in Darwin, Australia, where he oversaw operational transformation tailored to the unique cultural and regulatory environment of the Northern Territory.

At NUSTAR Cebu, Sean’s expertise in large scale resort operations and gaming management is helping shape a destination that seamlessly blends Filipino warmth with international standards. He is leading the resort’s efforts in operational excellence, innovation, and local workforce empowerment – ensuring that NUSTAR not only delivers exceptional visitor experiences, but also contributes meaningfully to Cebu’s tourism growth and community development.

Sean’s regional and international insight, combined with his deep understanding of integrated resort dynamics, makes him a key voice in the evolution of gaming and hospitality across Asia.

John Lucas

Chief Hospitality Officer, Newport World Resorts
John Lucas

With over three decades of experience in the hospitality industry, John Lucas brings unparalleled expertise and passion to his role as Chief Hospitality Officer at Newport World Resorts, a position he has held for the past nine months.

Prior to joining Newport World Resorts, John spent over 30 years with the Hilton brand, where he held key leadership positions including Area General Manager in Australia and leading the successful pre-opening of Hilton Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. His ability to navigate diverse markets and deliver exceptional results has earned him a strong reputation in the hospitality industry.

John’s leadership style is centered on collaboration, innovation and a deep commitment to excellence, making him a vital part of Newport World Resorts’ vision for hospitality excellence.

Philip Stormonth

Senior Director of Sales for Asia, Light & Wonder
Philip Stormonth

Phil Stormonth is an experienced sales professional in the global gaming industry, specializing in slot machines and gaming solutions in Asia. He is based in Macau as Senior Director of Sales for Asia at Light & Wonder.

Kelsey Wilhelm

Senior Contributing Editor, Inside Asian Gaming
Kelsey Wilhelm

Calling Macau home for over 20 years, Kelsey has been covering all aspects of the city for nearly 15 years. Starting off in print, he has worked across newspapers, magazines and television, examining everything from economics to fine dining. His love of music and cinema shape his outlook on the dynamic city that he is proud to call home.