Olympic Sponsorship Could Unlock Billions; Coke Sends Aid to Japan

Olympic Sponsorship Could Unlock Billions

Dow Chemicals’ Olympic vice president says the company believes the Olympics can open $100 billion worth of work.

Speaking to The Moscow Times, George Hamilton said "We estimate that the Olympic Games will drive in excess of $100 billion of infrastructure spending over the next 10 years. This is very much a commercial proposition for us."

The Midland Michigan-based company became a TOP sponsor in 2010 and has a deal with the IOC lasting through 2020.

"This gives us a global platform for telling Dow's story, about how our technology and our science bring improvements to humankind every day," Hamilton said.

With the 2014 Olympics now a little less than three years away, Hamilton said he hopes the Games can springboard Dow into the Russian construction marketplace.

"It's actually more than the games themselves. There is a great opportunity for us … to begin to make connections with government procurement."

Hamilton said the Olympics are "actually the most complex business which I have ever been involved in."

Coke Sends Aid to Japan

TOP sponsor Coca-Cola has pledged to send nearly $31 million to Japan in the next three years.

Coke had originally planned to send more than $7 million in money and beverages after the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the area.

"We are very keen to be here in Tokyo to understand clearly what on-the ground support is needed for Japanese communities and our business," Coke CEO Muhtar Kent said in a press release.

"We have been deeply moved by what we have seen and heard.

Coca-Cola also plans to match its employees’ donations that exceed the $31 million.

Sochi 2014 Partners to Follow UNEP Recommendations

Sochi 2014 partners have agreed to follow recommendations presented by the United Nations Environment Program to ensure the Winter Olympics are environmental friendly.

Russian Railways and Gazprom were among the partners to commit to projects that will protect the ecosystem. The projects include repairing any damage Games’ construction may cause on the Mzymta River Basin.

"The Olympics are a source of national pride but also an opportunity for showcasing innovation and catalyzing action towards a more sustainable future nationally and internationally, one reason why UNEP is involved in the Olympic movement and a partner with the International Olympic Committee," UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said in a press release.

Sochi 2014 first partnered with the UNEP in 2009.

Sochi 2014 CEO Dmitry Chernyshekno said the partnership "will help ensure Sochi 2014 is able to introduce Green Standards to every level of the Games’ preparation and will ensure that the Organizing Committee continues to work with international environment experts to support this."

LOCOG Signs Tier Three Security Sponsor

LOCOG has booked G4S Secure Solutions as the security services provider for the London 2012 Games.

The tier-three sponsor will provide a 10,000-person security force for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. G4S will recruit, train and manage the team.

"This deal represents where we are with our plans for the Games" Paul Deighton, LOCOG CEO, said in a press release. "We’re now looking at operational delivery."

"Our commercial program has been a great success and we’re not approaching our targets which will contribute to the staging of spectacular Games in 2012."

LOCOG and G4S also will partner for the Bridging the Gap plan. The program identifies UK college students and recruits them into the security industry.

G4S has provided security for Olympic Park since 2008.

Sochi 2014 Inks Professional ServicesPartner

Sochi 2014 will get its assurance, tax, legal and advisory services from PwC after partnering with the professional services provider.

PwC will work with Sochi 2014 on more than 70 projects including preparation for the Games, human resources, sustainability, marketing and financial planning.

"We are helping the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee to pioneer a new approach to preparing the Games, implementing a project-oriented organization," Robert Gruman, PwC Russia Partner, said in a press release.

"We are forming a unique model for managing large-scale national projects, which can be adapted to other events of a similar scale."

PwC has already helped the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee with the creation of Sochi 2014’s budgeting and reporting processes.

PwC joins Aeroflot, MegaFon, Sberbank, Russian Railways and others as partners of the Sochi 2014 Games.

Briefs …

... Japanese advertising and marketing company Dentsu Inc. will sponsor this year’s SportAccord International Convention. Dentsu will become the networker sponsor.

… The largest Iraqi telecommunications company, Asiacell, has signed on to sponsor The National Olympic Committee of Iraq. Asiacell will support the Olympic Committee and the Iraqi Football Association’s national teams.

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With reporting from Isia Reaves Wilcox and Ed Hula III

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