Final directors named for 2032 Olympic Games board

A global businessman who attended school and university in Brisbane has been appointed president of the Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games organising committee. Four other final appointments have also been revealed.

Brisbane boy and global businessman Andrew Liveris will bring his decades of corporate acumen to steer Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games with his appointment as president of its organisation committee.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will today unveil the remaining five people for the Brisbane Organising Committee board ahead of its inaugural meeting this month, where the race to put on “the best Games ever” will begin in earnest.

But it comes amid a cross-government spat over the time it’s taken to finalise the appointments.

Former Dow Chemical boss Andrew Liveris says the opportunity the Games present to Brisbane and Queensland gives him goosebumps. File picture

Mr Liveris will join Olympic silver medallist rower and Wesfarmers chief executive Rob Scott, Brisbane Lions and Tourism and Events Queensland deputy chair Sarah Kelly, past Reconciliation Australia co-chair and KPMG partner Shelley Reys and accomplished businessman, philanthropist and Queensland Rugby Union chair Brett Clark as newly announced, independent directors.

Mr Liveris, who led Dow Chemical for 15 years and has been a key business adviser to the federal government and Trump administration, told The Sunday Mail the opportunities that hosting an Olympic Games presented gave him “goosebumps”.

He said the Brisbane Games would be “a milestone point in Australian modern history” and “my head is spinning with the opportunity that will come to the city and state”.

Mr Liveris paid tribute to the diverse board, saying it would bring an impressive array of views forward.

Rob Scott

Shelley Reys

He said he wanted to ensure the Games were not “a four-week endeavour” but saw “a decade of benefits” economically, socially and environmentally for the state.

“This is still the five rings and the Olympics and Paralympics are still an amazing human brand,” he said.

“Despite wars and pandemics and floods and other human crises, we look at those rings and see some hope and positivity.”

Mr Liveris, who attended school and university in Brisbane before a global career, said he always remembered his roots and considered this his opportunity to give back.

The board will hold its first meeting later this month and Mr Liveris, who worked on previous Olympic Games while at Dow, said he would spend his first few months listening to stakeholders before plotting the way forward towards 2032.

But the timing of the appointments has drawn fire from Brisbane Lord Mayor and organising committee vice-president Adrian Schrinner, who welcomed the “high calibre” appointments but said he was “very disappointed” in the appointment process.

“The time it’s taken to get this group of people together has been nothing short of ridiculous,” he said.

“Brisbane 2032 had an advantage over every other Games that came before it after we were appointed the host city 11 years out from the event. Yet we’ve wasted almost an entire year simply putting together a committee.

“We certainly can’t afford further dillydallying like this on the many key decisions to come if we’re going to deliver the greatest ever Games.”

Brett Clark

Sarah Kelly

The comments came after planning stalled when Ms Palaszczuk delayed making her four nominations until February, despite promising to do so in January. Mr Morrison named his four in December.

The committee’s first meeting had been due in February, but the lack of appointees resulted in it being pushed back.

Mr Morrison said the Games were not just an opportunity for the next generation of sporting talent, but “an opportunity to further unlock the potential of Queensland and spread the benefits across the country”.

“The Board of the Organising Committee represents some of this country’s most successful leaders who will ensure the 2032 Games are the world’s best-ever,” he said.

Ms Palaszczuk said the Board reflected a depth of experience but still had its heart firmly in Queensland.

“This will be the biggest single transformational event in a generation,” she said.

Other board members include IOC vice-president and Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates, Paralympics Australia president Jock O’Callaghan, three-time Olympian Bronte Barratt and the triple Paralympic gold medallist Kurt Fearnley.

Others who had been tipped to be in contention for the final five roles included former Palaszczuk government minister Kate Jones, high-profile business identity and Icon Group founder Cathie Reid, Star Entertainment chairman John O’Neill, Pacific National chief executive and former Virgin Australia boss Paul Scurrah and ex-Wallaby and former Queensland Investment Corporation boss Damien Frawley.