Chesterman told insidethegames that Hook was "clearly up for the challenge" of building and managing a team to deliver the Games in 10 years’ time after getting the chance to meet her for the first time yesterday.

Hook has secured the role after stepping down as chief executive of Deloitte Asia Pacific earlier this year.

"It’s a really exciting appointment," said Chesterman.

"I wasn’t part of the interview process, but I can understand why my colleagues were impressed by her.

"She’s personable as well as being perfectly capable so I think we are in really good hands.

"It was very much an initial conversation but also about everyone understanding what the challenge is ahead of us and actually looking into her eyes, I can see that she is clearly up for the challenge and excited by what Brisbane offers for everyone in Queensland and the Olympic Movement as well."

Chesterman also praised the personal qualities of 58-year-old Hook.

"She’s somebody who has got a lot of natural charm which really helps in the people business and sport is a people business," he said. 

"Sport is all about building good relationships and I am sure she will do that."

Hook, who was born in the United States, first moved to Australia in 2009 before becoming chief executive of Deloitte Australia six years later.

She then took on the same role for Deloitte Asia Pacific after relocating to Singapore in 2018.

Chesterman said he was not concerned by her lack of experience in the sports industry.

"I don’t think you need a chief executive to have a sports background as a key criteria," said Chesterman.

"You need to be able to run a very large organisation and need to understand organisations at different stages.

"It’s a very small organisation now but by the time 2032 comes around it’ll be a very large organisation so you need somebody to build a team along the way to make sure that we hit the key milestones, get some good outcomes but also somebody who understands the broader eco-system.

"We have got a sponsorship target to hit which is very important and we have got a lot of people in different networks, like the media so we need somebody who has good skills to be able to deal with things on that front and have good skills for sponsorship and dealing with the IOC [International Olympic Committee] and International Federations.

"It is a very complex world as we know and I think with her background she has the ability to work through all those different areas and create those important relationships and most importantly actually get good outcomes."

Balázs Fürjes, a member of the IOC Coordination Commission for Brisbane 2032, also welcomed the appointment of Hook.

"It’s reassuring to see that although the Australians have 10 years to deliver the Games, they don’t waste their time and this is a very important part to the puzzle that has been put in place," Fürjes told insidethegames.

"We have the Board and the chairman is a very experienced man from the business community and now it is also good and encouraging that a female is filling the role of chief executive.

"It’s very relevant and she has extensive experience so they have the team and have started to work.

"Of course in such a journey you will always have challenges and difficulties but it seems that the team is there to be able to meet and face those known and unknown challenges that start to come."

Paralympics Australia President Jock O’Callaghan said he was looking forward to working alongside Hook to ensure Australians feel "included, engaged and valued".

“We are delighted with the appointment of Ms Hook to lead the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” O’Callaghan said.

“Ms Hook brings rare skills and experience to this crucial role that will come with considerable demands but also extraordinary opportunities.

“Ms Hook has an outstanding list of senior executive achievements and experiences during which she has proven to be a person of high integrity and values which are strongly aligned with those of Paralympics Australia."