Allianz Prepares for Olympic Debut -- Sponsor Spotlight

(ATR) German insurance titan Allianz launches its new worldwide Olympic and Paralympic sponsorship with the dawn of the new year. The company is the IOC’s first partner in the insurance category since John Hancock dropped its Olympic deal in 2008.

While Allianz is supposed to start its partnership in 2021, it must wait to to the close of the postponed Tokyo Games to officially launch branding and activation. Munich is the headquarters of the firm, where staff working on the Olympic project will be based.

Allianz is known worldwide for its connection to sport through a number of naming rights deals for prominent arenas, such as the one in its hometown.

The company is ranked first among the world’s top insurance firms by A.M. Best in 2019 with non-banking assets of 2.26 trillion euros under its management. Allianz employees number more than 140,000 across 70 nations.

Intel Names New CEO

Olympic worldwide sponsor Intel appoints a new chief executive officer.

Pat Gelsinger will replace Bob Swan on February 15. Gelsinger spent 30 years at Intel before leaving for jobs at EMC and then VMware, where he has been CEO since 2012.

"After careful consideration, the board concluded that now is the right time to make this leadership change to draw on Pat’s technology and engineering expertise during this critical period of transformation at Intel," Omar Ishrak, independent chairman of the Intel board, said in a statement.

Intel says the announcement, made on January 13, is unrelated to the company’s 2020 financial performance. Intel expects to exceed its prior guidance for fourth quarter 2020 revenue and earnings per share. Its full fourth-quarter and full-year 2020 results will be reported on January 21.

Ishrak added that Swan "leaves Intel in a strong strategic and financial position, and we thank him for his ongoing guidance as he works with Pat to ensure the leadership transition is seamless."

Inteland the IOC are partnering to bring Intel's technology to enhance the Olympic Games through 2024.

World Men's Curling Championship 2021 Lands Title Sponsor

Canada's BKT Tires and OK Tire have been named as the official title sponsors for the World Men’s Curling Championship 2021, taking place in the Calgary hub in Alberta, Canada.

The championship will run April 2-11, at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.

TheBKT Tires & OK Tire World Men’s Curling Championship 2021 will serve as an Olympic qualifier, with the top six teams punching their ticket for Beijing 2022.

"Our sport has overcome a number of challenges over the last year and we are excited to see the elite men's teams return to the ice where, together with the World Title, qualification for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games will also be at stake," said World Curling Federation President Kate Caithness.

Alan Eskow, Vice-President of BKT Tires Canada Inc, said: "Despite the current global situation, it is great that we can still bring the world together through sports, and especially curling. Good luck to all the countries involved for a safe, healthy and awesome World Championship."

Written by Gerard Farek and Greer Wilson

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