Mark Arbib has been elected to the Australian Olympic Committe's Executive ©Getty Images

Former Sports Minister Mark Arbib has been elected to the Australian Olympic Committee’s (AOC) Executive after Ian Chesterman was appointed to replace the retired Peter Montgomery as vice-president. 

Arbib, the President of Athletics Australia, was chosen for the role ahead of Cheryl Bart, a Board member of Football Federation Australia, three-time Olympic hockey gold medallist Rechelle Hawkes and two-time Olympic equestrian champion Gillian Rolton.

The 44-year-old from Sydney, who has been at the helm of Athletics Australia for less than a year having been elected in November, will be required to stand for re-election, along with the rest of the AOC Board, in May 2017.

"It's an honour to be elected as a representative on the AOC Executive," Arbib said.

"As a former Federal Sports Minister, I have had a long association with the AOC, it's an outstanding organisation that works hard for Australian sport.

"I look forward to working with President John Coates, and the other members of the Executive and management team for the betterment of our athletes, coaches and the sports community."

Arbib, who unexpectedly quit as Sports Minister five months before London 2012, is the latest appointment amid a reshuffling of the AOC’s ruling Executive.

Former Australian Sports Minister Mark Arbib has stepped in to a role vacated by Ian Chesterman, pictred, who has been promoted to the position of vice-president of the AOC ©Getty Images
Former Australian Sports Minister Mark Arbib has stepped in to a role vacated by Ian Chesterman, pictred, who has been promoted to the position of vice-president of the AOC ©Getty Images

Long-standing chief executive Fiona de Jong announced she would stand down in December of this year, with the AOC set to search for her replacement next month.

Arbib, a director of business development for Consolidated Press Holdings Pty Ltd, comes into a role which had been vacated by Chesterman, Australia’s Chef de Mission for the previous five Winter Olympic Games dating back to Nagano 1998, following his election as vice-president.

Chesterman takes over from Montgomery, a four-time Olympian in water polo who opted to stand down to "reprioritise and reduce" his current workload last month.

"I welcome Mark as President of the Australian national federation of athletics - the sport at the core of the Olympic Games, including with most events and athletes,” AOC President John Coates, also a vice-president of the International Olympic Committee, said.

"He knows us as a former Minister for Sport and will be a great help in Canberra.

"Importantly he understands the needs of athletes at both the elite and grassroots levels of sport."