TECS Advisory Board
International experts with specialized knowledge.
As the Thai government prepares to submit the Entertainment Complex bill to parliament for reading by the House of Representatives on 9 July, Winna Media is planning ahead for the second edition of the Thai Entertainment Complex Summit (TECS).
Taking place from 18-20 November 2025, this industry event builds on the first year’s knowledge by delving deeper into the details of the bill and what they mean for local and regional stakeholders.
To ensure that the TECS 2025 programme is both unbiased and informative, topics will be carefully selected, providing access to economic and tourism research, practical guidance on following laws, examples from other jurisdictions, social and cultural considerations, as well as insights into the proposed projects.
The TECS 2025 Advisory Board comprises well-known international experts who have been selected based on their specific experience and knowledge about their respective subject matter. They will provide insights into each stage of the process, from committee formation and structures, potential taxation rates, location selection, licensing requirements, bidding processes, financial controls, locals’ access, responsible gambling and societal protection.
We believe that the Advisory Board and the TECS 2025 conference programme will assist in bridging the gap between the government’s objectives and the commercial reality of building a successful and sustainable entertainment industry.
Ed Bowers:
President Global Development
MGM Resorts International
Representative Officer, President & CEO
MGM Resorts Japan
Ed Bowers is President of Global Development for MGM Resorts International. In this position, he manages MGM’s international and domestic development efforts.
Ed also is Representative Officer, President & CEO of MGM Resorts Japan and oversees MGM’s development activities in Japan. He is also assisting MGM China with its development activities in Thailand.
Ed joined MGM Resorts International in February 2003 and has been integrally involved in the company’s development activities in Asia, Europe and the United States. During the past ten years, the MGM development team, under Ed’s leadership, has won gaming licenses in Springfield, Massachusetts and in Prince George’s County, Maryland, near Washington DC. In December 2016, MGM National Harbor successfully opened for business, and MGM Springfield opened in 2018.
Ed has led MGM’s efforts in Japan since 2014, and in April 2023, MGM Resorts, together with joint venture partner ORIX, was certified by the Government of Japan to develop the country’s first integrated resort in the city of Osaka.
Ed started his career with Arthur Andersen’s audit practice in Cambridge, England in 1988 and transferred to Andersen’s Las Vegas office in 1994, where he was promoted to a Senior Manager in 1999. As well as managing the audits of some of the gaming industry’s major players, Ed was responsible for providing strategic development consulting to a wide range of enterprises, including operators, gaming associations and businesses contemplating entering the gaming industry. He also advised a number of his clients on major corporate transactions, including the acquisitions and divestments of businesses.
Ed qualified as a Chartered Accountant in England in 1991, having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, First Class Honors in Spanish from the University of Durham, United Kingdom in 1988.
Kelly Gass: President - San Marco Capital Partners
Kelly Gass has over 20 years of professional experience providing financial and business solutions and expertise to companies both domestically and abroad.
Having served in numerous interim senior management roles in takeover or troubled asset situations as well as under normal operating conditions, Gass has significant experience liaising with governmental and regulatory authorities in over 35 jurisdictions and is recognized for her extensive expertise in operational, transactional and financial matters.
Susan Hensel: Co-founder & Partner - Hensel Grad
Susan Hensel is co-founder and partner in Hensel Grad P.C., a gaming law and advisory firm that assists companies in navigating U.S. gaming regulation. She has been chosen as one of the 25 People to Watch by Global Gaming Magazine and named one of the Ten Most Influential Women in gaming by iGaming Business. Susan is Past President of the International Association of Gaming Regulators, having served in that position for two terms. Susan also sits on the Advisory Board of multiple industry entities and the All-In-Diversity Project, an industry-driven not-for-profit initiative to benchmark inclusion in the global gaming industry.
Susan is a frequent speaker on gaming law and regulation and has spoken throughout the world. She has also published numerous articles on gaming regulation and has collaborated with gaming regulators around the globe.
Prior to co-founding Hensel Grad P.C., Susan was Director of Licensing for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, where she oversaw the licensing, suitability, and compliance of more than 100,000 individuals and entities involved in online gaming and sports wagering as well as casinos and other gaming verticals. As Licensing Director, Susan was among the best-known and respected U.S. regulators on an international stage.
Ben Kiatkwankul: Partner and Co-founder Maverick Consulting Group
Ben Kiatkwankul is a government relations strategist and regional affairs expert with a decade of experience advising multinational corporations, international organisations, tech startups and public sector agencies across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. He co-founded Maverick Consulting Group (MCG) to bridge business and policy through high-impact stakeholder engagement, cross-border investment promotion, and strategic communications.
Under MCG, he also co-established Enterprise Thailand, a business diplomacy platform that convenes policy dialogues, trade missions, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to deepen global economic integration and amplify Thailand’s role in global trade networks.
Ben has led regional projects focused on policy research, regulatory evaluation, and inter-governmental coordination. He has supported clients in navigating complex political and business environments through in-depth market and regulatory analysis, government relations, stakeholder mapping, and community outreach. His track record includes securing over USD 100 million in investment incentives from the Thai government for a global conglomerate, and leading digital transformation for Thailand’s top sanitary ware distributor.
Earlier in his career, Ben served as a political analyst at the Delegation of the European Union to Thailand, where he published Thailand’s 2013 Human Rights Guidelines and advised on EU policy engagement with Southeast Asia. He also contributed to the launch of TakeMeTour, an award-winning Thai tourism tech start-up backed by 500 TukTuks, and established the first Thai-Australian digital business traveller database at the Royal Thai Consulate in Melbourne.
Ben holds an MSc in Globalisation from University College London and a BA in Politics and International Studies from the University of Melbourne, with a minor in European Studies. He also earned a Diploma in Digital Business Strategy from MIT Sloan School of Management. He is proficient in German, and basic Mandarin Chinese.
Lau Kok Keng: Head, Intellectual Property, Sports & Gaming Rajah & Tann
Lau Kok Keng has been in practice in Singapore since 1990. He joined his current firm Rajah & Tann LLP as a Partner in 2000, after spending his first 10 years of practice with another top-tier local law firm and an international law firm with a global presence. Kok Keng currently leads Rajah & Tann LLP’s Gaming Law practice and is the only Singapore lawyer who is a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law, an international association of leading gambling law experts worldwide whose members must meet strict admission criteria based on experience and expertise in gambling law.
Since 2001, Kok Keng has been actively involved in representing and advising clients in the gambling industry. His practice is arguably the most experienced and extensive gambling law practice in Singapore. His clients include state operators in Asia, foreign and offshore private operators (including Australian, Macau, Monte Carlo, UK and Malaysian land-based casinos and cruise ship casinos).
When Singapore first introduced the voluntary Responsible Gambling Code of Practice in 2007, Kok Keng had advised the state lottery operator on its responsible gambling approach and statement of principles for compliance with the Code of Practice. The objectives of the Code of Practice were to promote a shared understanding of responsible gambling, ensure that gambling products are provided responsibly and in harmony with community standards, enable customers to make informed decisions, minimize harm to individuals and the community, and ensure timely access to help for those adversely affected. The responsible gambling principles in the Code of Practice were eventually codified and made applicable to casinos on a mandatory basis in the Casino Control (Responsible Gambling) Regulations 2013.
David Rittvo: Managing Director, Asian Development – The Innovation Group
David Rittvo is the managing director of Asian development at The Innovation Group, a leading advisory firm in the gaming, entertainment, hospitality, and leisure industries. In this role, which he began in April 2025, David leads business development efforts across Asia and Australasia, focusing on land-based integrated resort development, new market entry strategies, government relations, and operational optimization. Coordinating closely with The Innovation Group’s global team, he supports public and private sector clients in shaping sustainable, high-impact gaming and hospitality initiatives across the region.
Concurrently, David is also the Principal of Tailored Hospitality Advisors, a boutique advisory firm based in Austin, Texas. Since founding the firm in July 2021, he has directed high-profile strategic and project management initiatives for commercial and tribal casinos, hotel operators, and hospitality brands. Key projects include the development of large-scale resorts for Native American Tribes and advisory work for Emeril’s Restaurant Group, supporting their expansion into branded and licensed partnerships across the casino and hospitality landscape.
Prior to launching Tailored Hospitality Advisors, David was Vice President of Development at Caesars Entertainment from 2018 to 2021. He played a central role in Caesars’ successful entry into Virginia through the development of The Caesars Virginia Casino and led transformational initiatives, including the redevelopment of Harrah’s into Caesars New Orleans and the planning of a multi-block dining and entertainment district at Horseshoe Baltimore. He also supported Caesars’ sports betting market development team.
Earlier in his career, David held multiple roles at The Innovation Group, culminating in his position as Vice President from 2014 to 2017. During this time, he advised multibillion-dollar operators, developers, and investors on predevelopment planning, construction phasing, operational benchmarking, financial modeling, and international government relations. His leadership contributed significantly to expanding the firm’s reach in Asia and improving client performance outcomes.
He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Hospitality Finance & Investments and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management from the University of Denver, as well as a certificate in Real Estate & Construction Management from New York University.
David has been recognized by Global Gaming Business Magazine’s 40 Under 40 (2020) and the Top 25 to Watch in the Gaming Industry (2014), and has served on the Global Gaming Expo Advisory Committee. He is also a vintner and vineyard owner in Mendoza, Argentina, a certified Italian butcher, and an avid amateur chef.
Paul Scales: Executive Chairman, Real Estate Access Thailand
Paul Scales was born in Ireland and pursued his studies at Belvedere College, Dublin Institute of Technology, and Trinity College Dublin, where he earned a BSc and an MA. As a former Chartered Surveyor and international board director at Jones Lang Wootton (JLL), Paul established JLL’s Thailand office and guided it to become the leading real estate consultancy in the region. He retired from JLL in 1996, and amid the 1997 Asian financial crisis, he founded TCDC, focusing on investments in industrial real estate and developing notable distribution centers, including Unilever’s major facilities in Thailand. Today, Paul is still a shareholder and director at TCDC.
Paul also created Real Estate Access (REA) to deliver advisory services for real estate development and invest alongside clients in select sectors. REA plays a significant role in the international school sector in Thailand and Vietnam, offering advisory and deal origination services to school brands, operators, and investors.
Paul has a long-standing association with the Irish Thai Chamber of Commerce, having served as President for over a decade and currently serving as vice president. He also represents the Irish Chamber at the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand, with a focus on the Foreign Business Act, Higher Education, and Young Entrepreneurship. Moreover, he is an advisor and former director at the Thai Board of Trade.
Paul Scales chaired one of the days at the inaugural Thai Entertainment Complex Summit, held in December 2024.
The full list of speakers, panel hosts and participants are located here: Thai Entertainment Complex Summit 2024 speakers.
Paul D. Volodarsky: Partner & Regional Head, Real Estate & Hospitality
Paul is the regional head of the real estate practice group and the regional head of the hospitality sector. His practice focuses on corporate structuring for real estate investment, hotel management agreement negotiation and drafting, industrial and retail property acquisitions, and construction contracts.
He has advised individual buyers, developers and investment groups on real estate investment throughout Southeast Asia with a focus on the industrial and hospitality sectors. While advising clients, his focus is to understand their investment goals and to implement effective solutions to achieve the desired investment outcomes within, often complicated, legal frameworks.
Paul is based in Bangkok with frequent travel to Ho Chi Minh City.
Paul Volodarsky was a panellist at the inaugural Thai Entertainment Complex Summit, held in December 2024.
Steven Wolstenholme: Independent Director, Asian Coast Development / Advisor, VinaCapital
Steven Wolstenholme is a seasoned executive in hospitality, gaming, and integrated resort development, with a track record of leading multibillion-dollar projects across Asia, and North America.
An Independent Director of Asian Coast Development, Ltd. (ACDL), an international development company specializing in integrated resorts, most notably The Grand Ho Tram in Vietnam. He also advises hospitality and gaming clients, specializing in pre-opening strategy, operational execution, and large-scale development initiatives.
Most recently, Steve concluded a seven-year tenure as President & CEO of Hoiana Resort & Golf in Central Vietnam, leading the multibillion-dollar project from conception through development, pre-opening, and the initial stages of operations.
Steve began his career in hospitality, real estate development, and gaming in the United Kingdom before relocating to the Bahamas to join Sun International’s Atlantis Paradise Island Resort. He later advanced to the company’s corporate offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as a Marketing Executive. During his tenure, he was reassigned to support the pre-opening gaming preparations for Mohegan Sun, a landmark casino resort in Connecticut marking the start of his journey in integrated resort development.
In 1999, Steve joined Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls, Canada, and was appointed General Manager in early 2004. Later that year, he transitioned to participate in the pre-opening phase of the $1 billion Fallsview Casino Resort.
In 2008, Steve became Chief Operating Officer of Galaxy Macau, where he led the pre-opening development phase of the $1.8 billion mega resort featuring 3,000 hotel rooms, extensive leisure amenities, and one of the world’s largest casino floors.
From 2013 to 2015, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Grand Sierra Resort (formerly the Reno Hilton), a major 2,000-room resort in Reno, Nevada. He oversaw the entire operation, including a $110 million capital improvement initiative.
Between 2015 and 2018, Steve was President, Managing Director, and Board Member of Okada Manila in the Philippines, where he guided the $3.3 billion integrated resort from pre-opening through launch and early operations.
Beyond his executive career, Steve is committed to community development, he is currently a board member of the VinaCapital Foundation, supporting healthcare and education initiatives in Vietnam. He has previously served on various boards, including Children of Vietnam, The Children’s Cabinet in Reno, and Hospice Niagara in Canada.
Steve earned his Executive MBA from the Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario in 2008 and currently resides in Perth, Australia.