SWEDISH CONSUL IS NEW 2018 GAMES BOARD CHAIR

A NEW-LOOK 2018 Commonwealth Games board was announced today by Queensland Premier Campbell Newman.

The new chairman is Nigel Chamier, who replaces former Olympic swimmer and businessman Mark Stockwell, who was stood down at the weekend by Commonwealth Games Minister Jann Stuckey.

Other new faces on the board are Catherine Tanna, Stephen Conry and Dennis Chant. The four new appointments are for three-year terms.

The new appointees join sport administrators Salvatore Coffa, Perry Crosswhite and Mike Victor and former Olympian Glynis Nunn-Cearns on the 2018 Commonwealth Games board.

Chant (pictured) is managing director of Queensland Airports Limited, the owner of the Gold Coast Airport. He is the only local business leader on the board.

Chamier is executive chairman of NAC Investments and has extensive experience in the financial, property and development sectors. He is the Honorary Consul for Sweden in Australia.

Tanna is the Chairman of BG Australia, the company responsible for Australia's biggest coal-seam gas project and is a former director of the Reserve Bank of Australia.

Conry is the Australian CEO and International Director of Jones Lang LaSalle.

Minister Stuckey said on the weekend that Stockwell was removed as board chairman because the Australian Commonwealth Games Association had lost faith in his leadership.

That has since been denied by Coffa, who is the president of the association, and disputed by Stockwell.

Premier Newman today praised the new-look board.

“I have every confidence that this eight-member board will have the depth of experience and fiscal discipline to ensure this billion dollar landmark event is delivered on time, and importantly on budget," he says.

The appointments need to go through Executive Council and will be finalised subject further administration.