Chris O'Brien is a distinguished leader in Australian sport, having recently served as the National Performance Director and Interim CEO of Gymnastics Australia. O'Brien has driven key initiatives that have positioned Gymnastics Australia to deliver medals into the future. Under his leadership, the organization sent its largest-ever contingent to the Olympic Games, highlighting his commitment to nurturing talent and creating a sustainable foundation for future success.

Before joining Gymnastics Australia, O'Brien served as the Lead Performance Consultant at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) during the Tokyo Olympic cycle. In this role, he worked across multiple sports, including winter sports, athletics, and cycling, and was a pivotal figure in integrating skateboarding into the Olympic Games for Australia. He led the establishment of the Skateboard 2020 Commission, which guided the sport through to the Tokyo Games, where Keegan Palmer secured his first of two Olympic Gold medals.

This week, O'Brien returned to his sport of origin, rowing, taking up the role of National Men's Head Coach for Rowing Australia. He will lead the men's team into the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. O'Brien is no stranger to success in rowing, having previously served as National Performance Director during the Rio cycle. He is also Australia’s most successful Olympic rowing coach, having guided athletes to two Olympic Gold and two Olympic Silver medals across four Olympic Games