Dupré, who has been director general of Speedskating Canada for 15 years, has been chosen to replace Chris Rudge, who officially stepped down last Thursday (April 15) after guiding Canada to its most successful-ever Olympics at Vancouver.

Dupré was officially unveiled today by COC President-elect Marcel Aubut, who also introduced Chris Overholt as the new chief operating officer and chief marketing officer.

Aubut said: "We were looking for two individuals with unique skill sets and strong passions for sport.

"We have inherited a precious legacy from the 2010 Games and wanted to ensure that both roles were filled by highly experienced professionals that continue the COC upon its upward trajectory."

Dupré, who is from Saint-Jovite in Quebec, was behind the success of speedskating in Canada which has seen the team claim 30 medals during three last Olympics, including five in Vancouver.

Canada finished top of the medals table in Vancouver with a total of 26 medals, including 14 gold, making them the most successful host country in the history of the Winter Olympics.

Dupré said: "This is an amazing time for high-performance sport in Canada, and the opportunity to work further with our athletes, Marcel, and the committed team at the COC is a dream come true.

"With such a great foundation to build on, I am very excited about our prospects as we look towards London [2012 Summer Olympics], Sochi [2014 Winter Olympics in Russia] and well beyond."

Overholt comes from a professional sports background having  worked mainly in the NFL with Toronto Raptors, Maple Leaf Sports and Florida Panthers.


Related stories
April 2010: Canadian Olympic Committee chief executive to step down