Image credit: Australian Olympic Committee
Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) has today welcomed the appointment of Mark Arbib as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).
The appointment highlights the strength of Australia’s high-performance sport leadership as the nation prepares for the green and gold runway to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The appointment comes at a crucial time as Australia’s sporting organisations continue to enhance their collaborative approach through the High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy, designed to optimise Australia’s sporting success over the coming decade.
Arbib brings 30 years of leadership across sports administration, government, and commercial sectors, having served on the AOC Executive Committee since 2016 while also chairing the AOC’s Brisbane 2032 Legacy and Impact Committee.
As Athletics Australia President, he drove governance reforms and established athlete representation on the Board, while during his tenure as Federal Minister for Sport from 2010-2012, he created the National Anti-Match-Fixing policy (later Sport Integrity Australia) and served on the World Anti-Doping Agency Board.
CGA President Ben Houston highlighted the significance of maintaining strong alignment between the Commonwealth Sport and Olympic Movements in Australia.
“Mark’s appointment to the AOC leadership team represents an exciting opportunity to further enhance the collaboration between our organisations,” Houston said.
“The Commonwealth Games has consistently proven to be a vital stepping stone for many of our athletes in their Olympic and Paralympics journey.
“Our vision is for a green and gold runway that maximises opportunities for Australian athletes to develop and succeed on the global sporting stage, with the High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy giving us a shared blueprint for success.”
CGA CEO Craig Phillips AM congratulated Arbib, emphasising the importance of continued collaboration between Australia’s peak sporting bodies.
“I extend my warmest congratulations to Mark on his appointment as CEO of the Australian Olympic Committee,” Phillips said.
“Mark brings exceptional leadership qualities and a deep understanding of the Australian sporting landscape, and his appointment will strengthen the ongoing collaboration between our organisations as we work together to create a unified approach to Australia’s high performance sporting future.
“The coordination between CGA, the AOC and Paralympics Australia has never been more important as we navigate the green and gold runway to Brisbane 2032.”
Phillips and Houston also noted the exceptional leadership and lasting contribution to Australian sport provided by outgoing AOC CEO Matt Carroll AM.
“We also commend and thank Matt for his leadership of the AOC over the past eight years, highlighted by Australia’s best-ever performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” Phillips said.
“He’s been a fantastic colleague as we continue to deliver HP 2032+ and wish him every success for what comes next.”
