Kerry Petersen to join Brisbane Organising Committee for the 2032 Olympic Games

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s right hand woman on the Olympic Games has jumped ship to join the 2032 organising body.

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk’s right hand woman on the Olympic Games has jumped ship and will join the 2032 organising body.

It’s understood the deal to move Kerry Petersen across to the Brisbane Organising Committee for the 2032 Olympic Games (BOCOG) was brokered by its chairman Andrew Liveris, who wants a conduit between his body and the government on infrastructure delivery.

In an email to the Premier’s staff, Kerry Petersen told colleagues she will be starting a new role with BOCOG next week as Executive General Manager, Operations.

Ms Petersen had been associate Director-General of the Brisbane 2032 Taskforce.

She had accompanied Ms Palaszczuk to Tokyo in 2021 for the announcement of Brisbane as host city to the Olympics and Paralympics in 2032.

Kerry Petersen is moving to BOCOG. Picture: LinkedIn

In the email, Ms Petersen said it had been a significant decision to leave the government after 32 years and take on the new role with the organising committee.

She said she had been fortunate to work on many major projects including Suncorp Stadium, Roma Street Parkland, GOMA and the State Library redevelopment.

“In my new role I look forward to working very closely with my colleagues in the Queensland Government, local government, IOC, AOC ...to deliver aspirational firsts and benefits and deliver an exemplary model for future Olympic and Paralympic Games,’’ she said.

“I look forward to this extremely exciting (and slightly daunting) new chapter.’’

Clinton De Bruyn will act in Ms Petersen’s role.

Ms Petersen’s role is seen as crucial, particularly in the early years, especially because the Olympic Delivery Authority has not yet been established.

She is seen by Mr Liveris as the person largely responsible for co-ordinating the infrastructure requirements and delivery of venues and athletes’ villages so that they synchronise with BOCOG’s agenda.

The crucial chief executive role is yet to be finalised but it is top of agenda when BOCOG meets next week on the Sunshine Coast.

Top contenders include AFL boss Gill MCLachlan and former Virgin boss Paul Scurrah.

Originally published as Kerry Petersen to join Brisbane Organising Committee for the 2032 Olympic Games