Matt Carroll is the new Australian Olympic Committee chief executive ©AOC

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has appointed Matt Carroll as their new chief executive.

He has been handed the role following a global search by recruitment firm Odgers Berndtson to find a replacement for Fiona de Jong.

His hiring comes after a process which involved 322 potential candidates.

Carroll has more than 25 years of sports administrative experience, including as deputy chief executive of Australian Rugby Union.

He was also general manager for the 2003 World Cup and held roles at Football Federation Australia and Australian Sailing.

In addition, he served as chief organising officer and executive adviser to Japan Rugby in the early years of preparation for the the 2019 World Cup.

His Rugby World Cup work saw him awarded the Order of Australia (AM) in 2004.

AOC President John Coates welcomed the new appointment.

"Mr Carroll is uniquely qualified for this role with his experience with stakeholders and management teams in three Olympic sports - rugby, football and sailing," he said.

"Mr Carroll's experience working in Japan will be of benefit as the AOC prepares for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea; 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China and pursues first ever invitations to participate in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China and 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan."

Fiona de Jong resigned from the role last year ©Getty Images
Fiona de Jong resigned from the role last year ©Getty Images

In January, an advert for the position said that the new chief executive would play a key role in a possible Australian bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

The opportunity was described as an exciting one for a "talented, strategic and respected leader to oversee and drive all day to day management of the AOC, playing a pivotal role in guiding the AOC through its challenging upcoming programmes and the possible bid for the 2028 Olympics".

A bid from Brisbane for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games moved a step closer in September after the South East Queensland Council of Mayors agreed to go ahead with a feasibility study.

However, the plans could be scuppered by plans to award the 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games together in September, to Paris and Los Angeles respectively. 

De Jong quit the role in October after working at the AOC for 12 years.