The organizing committee of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games has announced the appointment of Francois-Xavier Bonnaillie as its chief commercial officer.
Beginning in the role in November, following the end of the Paris 2024 games, Bonnaillie will lead the commercial front of the 2032 edition of the major sporting event, driving Brisbane’s aims to be completely self-funded.
The Frenchman most recently served as the senior director of partnership and licensing for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a role he has held since 2019, making Brisbane 2032 the second Olympics he has worked on.
Prior to this, Bonnaillie had served in several global commercial roles, most notably across a near 25-year spell in a myriad of roles at international conglomerate Procter & Gamble, a worldwide top-level Olympic partner.
Cindy Hook, chief executive of the Brisbane 2032 organizing committee, stated of Bonnaillie’s appointment: “Francois-Xavier brings an impressive and broad international commercial background to the role, together with a unique understanding of the task ahead to raise significant sponsorship revenue for Brisbane 2032.
“I’m confident the success that Francois-Xavier and his team have delivered to the Paris 2024 organizing committee will carry through to a new country, market, and the Brisbane 2032 games as we continue our commercial program preparations.
“I’m also pleased that we have attracted an executive with a proven track record of commercial success in business and within the Olympic and Paralympic movements. Francios-Xavier will be a great addition to my team.”
Andrew Liveris, Brisbane 2032 president, added: “We have made a commitment to be self-funded and cost-neutral to the taxpayer. That means setting our commercial strategies in place now, including the recruitment of Francois-Xavier, so that we are well advanced in our plans and discussions with potential partners ahead of our official marketing period commencing in 2027.”
Preparations for Brisbane 2032 are already well underway with venue plans presented in May that would not see a new stadium built, despite scrapping plans to redevelop the city’s iconic Gabba Stadium.
