Owner of the professional Orica-GreenEDGE team, Ryan replaces Klaus Mueller, who stepped down in August after a tumultuous three-and-half years at the helm.
During Mueller's time in charge, cycling grew in Australia but its image was tarnished by the fallout from the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.
While American Armstrong was stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles and handed a life ban last year, Australian duo Matt White and Stephen Hodge admitted to doping during their cycling careers and quit their CA posts.
"I look forward to helping CA move forward in a more commercially viable manner," Ryan said in a CA statement.
CA will hope Ryan can replicate his corporate success in his new role, in which he will have former AFL administrator Adrian Anderson as the interim chief executive officer until February when a permanent CEO will be recruited.
"I look forward to working closely with Adrian over the coming months to create a collaborative environment that continues to deliver champion riders across the four disciplines, but does so in a manner that is underpinned by sound business principles," said Ryan.
Australian Sports Commission chief John Wylie hailed Ryan's appointment at a difficult time for the CA.
"It is fitting and most welcome that a person so well respected by corporate Australia takes on the presidency of CA at this critical time of major reform for the sport," Wylie said.
Anderson said he was looking forward to "strengthening public faith in the integrity of Australian cycling".
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty, editing by Peter Rutherford)
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