Peter Turpin, Regional Director for London for Grosvenor Casinos, is the perfect example to trot out when some oaf tries to tell you that you have to have 20 years of gaming floor experience to be successful at exec level in casinos. He's never pulled a card, but he's been incredibly successful as a single site GM and been promoted to a regional role - twice.
Hailing from a background in the nightclubs, for a man of your writer's vintage he inexplicably still enjoys clubbing (night-, not gentleman's- or seal-) with his wife and is another Friend of GRS who'd qualify as a top dinner companion. One of an increasing number of senior industry figures who we've both worked for to find him team members, and worked with back in the days when he was looking for a change himself, he's a good man to know on all counts.