Hook, who arrived in Australia in 2009, is a former executive with previous jobs including CEO roles at Deloitte Australia and Deloitte Asia Pacific.

She has also held directorships on the Economic Development Board of Singapore and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, and expects her Brisbane 2032 role to be challenging but rewarding.

The surprise choice followed speculation that the role would go to an experienced sports administrator, with outgoing AFL boss Gillon McLachlan thought to be among the frontunners.

However, Hook has a fan in Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, who said having both her and veteran businessman and Brisbane 2032 president Andrew Liveris at the helm of the organisation was a deliberate choice.

“Athletes, sports administrators, local industry leaders and representatives from the different levels of government make up the bulk of the Brisbane 2032 board but the leadership of Andrew and Cindy is going to be critical,” Schrinner said

“There’s going to be plenty of challenges during the decade-long golden runway to the Games, including ensuring the necessary infrastructure is delivered to cater for both a successful event and our fast-growing region.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, said Hook’s appointment “added an even greater depth” to what he described as an already strong leadership team that harnessed some of Australia’s best and brightest minds.

Hook said in a statement that she could not pass up “the opportunity to be part of the event that has such potential to deliver a meaningful legacy for Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and the Olympics and Paralympics globally”.

“The idea of setting up the organisation, building the team, creating a vision and driving to a smooth delivery of Brisbane 2032 is very exciting and I expect it will be both challenging and rewarding.

“More than anything, I see this role as an opportunity to give back to the country that has welcomed me and my family with open arms and become our adopted homeland.

“We have experienced first-hand that Australia is a nation that understands the benefits of a being a true multicultural society … to create a community like no other across the world.”

Liveris described Hook as an “exceptional fit” for the games organisers.

“We conducted a global search to ensure we had the best candidates in the mix and the mix was strong,” he said.

“I’m so pleased that we’ve found someone with a deep affinity for Australia while also understanding what is required to turn Brisbane 2032 into a household name across the world.

“We needed an individual that knows what it takes to run a multi-billion dollar business on time and on budget, as well as how to engage to the community, industry and the corporate sector in what is effectively the biggest event-based project this nation will see in a generation.”