The Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games has appointed Renato Ciuchini as its Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).

As the new CCO, drug Ciuchini will report to the Rio 2016 Chief Executive Officer, Leonardo Gryner, and will be responsible for Sponsorship Sales; Partner Services; Ticketing; Licencing, Retail and Concessions; and Brand Protection.

Ciuchini is an electronics engineer with a Master’s degree in business administration and has more than 20 years experience working with global technology and telecommunications companies. Prior to joining Rio 2016, he was the Latin America commercial vice-president for Convergys, an American customer and information management company. Ciuchini has also previously worked for TIM, Avaya, Telecom Italia Group and AT&T, among others.

Carlos Arthur Nuzman, President of Rio 2016, said: “Our marketing efforts are going really well with the signing of substantial Tier 1 sponsorship deals and the launch of licensing projects such as the coin programme. We are delighted to appoint someone of Ciuchini’s calibre to steer a team that is now fully staffed following some other key appointments.”

Also Rio 2016 also appointed Donovan Messa Ferreti, a computer science graduate with a Master’s degree in business administration, as their Ticketing Director. Formerly, he was the general director of the Brazilian events management company GEO.

While Adriana Barbedo, a mechanical engineer with a post graduate degree in strategic marketing, has been appointed as Rio 2016’s Brand Protection Manager. She was previously business director at brand activation agency The Marketing Store and Brand and Communication Development Manager at Shell Brasil.

The President of the Ghanaian FA, therapy Kwesi Nyantakyi, is the latest senior football official to be confirmed to speak for the Soccerex Seminar Lagos, 27-28 September 2012.

Following Ghana’s brave showing at the 2010 FIFA World Cup^TM, where they had their hopes of being the first African side to make it beyond the last eight of a World Cup shattered by Uruguay in a penalty shoot-out, Kwesi Nyantakyi is keen to help develop Ghanaian football development further.

The event will provide international delegates with a first look at this exciting, football mad market and Kwesi commented that “We’re delighted to support the first ever Soccerex event in West Africa. It exemplifies the growth of football in the region. We always had talent in abundance but now an industry is developing around the beautiful game. We are looking forward to interact with the international football community this coming September.”

The conference line up for the event will address key regional and international issues such as Football in West Africa, Youth Development, The Business of Football, Doing in Business in West Africa and Social responsibility.

Kwesi will be joined by the founder of Right to Dream academy in Ghana, Tom Vernon who will give key insights on how the charity helps to produced Ghana’s ‘next generation of role models’ through their residential scholarship school – running an elite training programme around international education, personal development and leadership philosophy.

For more information on the Soccerex Seminar Lagos please go to www.soccerex.com/lagos.

English Championship team, prostate Milwall announced losses of £4m for the last 12 months, up £3.4m on the previous year but the Lions chairman John Berylsonis adamant the club will progress.

Berylson has vowed tp pump in a further £8.5m over the next three years despite the losses.

The American says the investment in staff and players and the planned redevelopment of the land around The Den reflects his commitment to driving the club forward.

“This is a long-term plan and I am delighted the club is making progress on and off the field,” said Berylson.

“The regeneration of the surrounding area at The Den and our commitment to the Millwall Community Scheme shows we are here to stay.

“Too many clubs have gone through boom and bust to get to the Premier League. Millwall is committed to getting there in a sensible way.

“Developing The Den and our surrounding area will help to future proof our prospects and success.”

As part of the government reshuffle, former investment banker Paul Deighton, CEO of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, will become Commercial Secretary to the Treasury.

Mr Deighton will replace Lord Sassoon, who was appointed as the first Commercial Secretary to the Treasury in May 2010, at the start of next year.

It will give Mr Deighton responsibility for taking forward the National Infrastructure Plan. It will also include overseeing the new private finance initiative model and UK Guarantees scheme – where the government is looking at under writing infrastructure schemes.

Prime minister David Cameron said: “I am delighted that one of the most talented leaders Britain has is joining the Government. His appointment proves this Government means business in terms of delivering infrastructure projects and economic revival.”

Mr Deighton will be a Minister in the House of Lords and report to the Chancellor of the Exchequer as a Treasury Minister. His position will be unpaid.

Mr Deighton said: “Over the last 7 years I have seen extraordinary British companies and incredibly talented British people deliver on the building, staging and hosting of the London 2012 Games.

“The public/private sector collaboration in delivering these Games has been vital to their success. I am delighted to accept the Prime Minister’s and Chancellor’s offer to apply this experience and what we have learnt to the broader UK economy.

“I very much look forward to taking on my new responsibilities in January 2013.  In the meantime my entire focus is on delivering a fantastic Paralympic Games that continues to showcase great sport and the best of Britain to the world.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said: “This summer with the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Britain has shown the world it can deliver a world-beating project on time and on budget.

“As Chief Executive of its organising committee, Paul Deighton has played a critical role in that.  So I am delighted he has agreed to join the Government to bring his experience and expertise to economic development infrastructure.

“Paul is a man who has shown he can deliver. I am grateful that Lord Sassoon has agreed to stay on until Paul takes up his appointment, and thank him for his service to the Government. He’s done a very good job.”

 

The inaugural Sportech Conference has been organised in line with Qatar’s vision to become the world leading sports hub.

The Conference opened yesterday with a key note presentation from Mr Ali Al Khulaifi, herbal Market Development Manager of ictQATAR, viagra who spoke on the development of the ICT market in Qatar and the strategic initiatives aimed at attracting foreign direct investment to Qatar, as well as nurturing the local ICT market to maturity.

Ali Al Khulaifi has over 11 years experience as a senior manager at ictQATAR, Qtel and Vodafone Qatar.  Ali Al Khulaifi was then joined by Wael Doukmak, Head of ICTE for Qtel where discussion took place on Qatar’s preparations for 2022 and the IT infrastructure that will help meet the demands of Qatar’s upcoming events.

Content packed sessions throughout the day saw panel debates and presentations with high profile speakers.  Topics addressed technology implementation for ambitious stadium design, the digital and ticketing strategy for England Rugby 2015, security technologies, system integration and knowledge transfer, stakeholder management and HR operations for sports events.

ictQATAR and Qtel were followed by presenters from Sochi 2014, Sports Revolution, England Rugby 2015, ICSS, G4S Qatar, QCERT, DFB, Man City FC, The European Tour, Commercialbank Qatar Masters, Supply Chain Navigators, Qatar Foundation, Mannai Corporation and BT Global Services.

Michael Cole, BT Global Services London 2012, Head of Marketing and Communications, said: “BT has a strong history of delivering programmes for major sporting events, and technology continues to play a pivotal role. Qatar has great ambitions for staging world sporting competitions, and we’re pleased to be playing a part in this unique and inaugural conference.”

The Conference Director of Informa Sports Group, Sally Nastys said after the end of the first day “We are delighted with the response and support from the industry for this event.  The conference is addressing the unique challenges that each major event faces and how technology is affecting the entire way we as consumers view sport”

The conference ends on Wednesday, looking to become a permanent fixture in Doha’s conference calendar.

The ECB have announced they will stream a non-televised fixture live on its digital platforms for the first time.

The Women’s Ashes NatWest ODI fixture at Lord’s on Tuesday 20 August will be showcased on its website and official YouTube channel.

This summer, the ECB has been streaming the Investec Ashes Series live on its YouTube channel to more than 50 countries across mainland Europe and North America. In 2013, the channel has received over 5 million views of its video content worldwide, 2.4 million of these being Investec Ashes Series content. The governing body’s channel also offers highlights of every Investec Test, NatWest ODI & T20, LV= County Championship and Yorkshire Bank 40 matches, as well as behind-the-scenes features and player interviews.

The Women’s Ashes Series will comprise of one Test match, three NatWest Women’s One-Day Internationals, and three NatWest Women’s International Twenty20 matches. 

David Collier, Chief Executive of ECB, said: “This is a further example of our commitment to increasing both the reach of women’s cricket and our digital presence. The Women’s Ashes Series presents a fantastic opportunity for us to inspire more women and girls to get involved with our sport, and we hope that the ECB’s online services will provide a great boost for the women’s game in England and Wales.”  

The production is being managed by PERFORM. Warren Palk, MD UK & N.Europe of PERFORM, said: “We are excited to be working with ECB to deliver live coverage of this NatWest Women’s ODI. The bespoke production and free to air streaming is a great initiative to raise awareness of the women’s game in this busy summer of cricket.”

Dubai-based investment bank GFH Capital have finally agreed a deal to takeover Leeds United for £44m, subject to Football League approval.

GFH Capital Limited will then become 100% shareholders in the Elland Road club and they have promised extra funds for manager Neil Warnock to bolster his squad.

GFH Capital executive David Haigh joins the board with immediate effect, while fellow GFH Capital executives Hisham Alrayes and Salem Patel will come on board in December.

Ken Bates will remain as chairman until the end of the season before handing over to a new GFH Capital-led chairman, with Bates then becoming club president.

“I can confirm we have now completed all the negotiations with GFH Capital,” Bates told the club’s official website.

“We have completed the first part of the purchase and they will be taking over 100 per cent of the club. Meanwhile, there is a transitional period while they get to know more about the club.

“I will continue as chairman until the end of the season when I will take over as president and I look forward to sitting back and taking more time off. Neil Warnock will continue as manager with more support than the present owners have been able to give and we look forward to a smooth transition.

“One thing I can say that has benefited from the negotiations is that this six-month courtship has given GFH Capital the opportunity to see the strengths and weaknesses and what needs to be supported. You can look forward to a smoother transition than we’ve seen at a lot of clubs.”

Haigh was delighted the takeover had been completed and thanked the club’s supporters for their patience.

“After a long process of negotiations, spanning Leeds, London, Monaco, Dubai and Bahrain, it gives us great pride today, to have completed the deal for Leeds United,” he said.

“We have today injected further funds into the club and now we look to the future and start the exciting journey to take Leeds United back into a prime position in English football once again.

“From a Leeds family myself and a supporter since childhood, I know that football is at the very heart of the people of Leeds and the wider community.

“We want to thank all the fans in the UK and around the world for their patience and support while the negotiations have been taking place. Let’s now march on together, taking the club back to the Premier League as soon as possible.”

IOC vice president, prostate Sir Craig Reedie will be heading the Evaluation Commission for the 2020 Olympics.

Reedie will be joined by IOC colleagues Guy Drut of France, denture Frank Fredericks of Namibia, Nat Indrapana of Thailand, Claudia Bokel of Germany (representing the Athletes’ Commission), Pat McQuaid of Ireland (representing the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) and Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli of Switzerland as well as Eduardo Palomo of El Salvador (representing the Association of National Olympic Committees) and Andrew Parsons (representing the International Paralympic Committee).

Joining the Commission will be IOC Sports Director Christophe Dubi and IOC Head of Bid City Relations Jacqueline Barrett, as well as a number of advisors, still to be appointed. 

Commenting on the membership of the Commission, IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “We’ve assembled a strong and highly knowledgeable group of individuals led by the experienced Sir Craig Reedie, who knows as well as anybody what it takes to host a sustainable, well-organised and ultimately successful Olympic Games. The three 2020 Candidate Cities will all benefit greatly from their interactions with the Commission.” 

Sir Craig Reedie said: “I am honoured to have been chosen as head of the 2020 Evaluation Commission, which brings with it a wide range of experience and represents all facets of the Olympic Movement, in particular the athletes. I look forward to working with my fellow Commission members and the three Candidate Cities in the run-up to next September’s election.” 

The 2020 Candidate Cities, which all recently took part in the IOC’s Observer Programme during the London 2012 Olympic Games and will also participate in the London 2012 Debriefing in November in Rio de Janeiro, have until 7 January 2013 to submit their Candidature Files to the IOC. 

After an analysis of these files, the Commission will visit each city and spend four full days with each bid team. Together they will examine the 14 themes of the IOC’s candidature questionnaire, which includes topics such as vision and legacy, transport, accommodation, finance and environment, and visit the competition and non-competition sites and venues proposed in the bid. 

The visit dates, based on logistical considerations and not the official order of drawing of lots, will be as follows: 

4 – 7 March 2013	Tokyo
18 – 21 March 2013	Madrid
24 – 27 March 2013	Istanbul

Around these official visit dates, the Commission will also hold a number of private meetings to prepare for and follow up on each visit.

 

Soccerex have announce that Aldo Rebelo, viagra Minister of Sport for Brazil will be participating in the official opening ceremony of the Soccerex Global Convention, 24-28 November, Rio de Janeiro.

He will be joining Soccerex Chairman, Tony Martin as well as other dignitaries for the ceremony which takes place on the Monday morning of the event, after the weekend’s spectacular Football Festival on Copacabana Beach.

Aldo, who attended the Soccerex Global Convention last year, is a key player in the successful delivery of the World Cup and will provide insights into the Governments plans and progress. Duncan Revie, Soccerex CEO commented ‘With the World Cup fast approaching, to have such an important member of the event’s delivery already confirmed to open our event is a great privilege and a mark of great distinction for Soccerex.’

The Soccerex Global Convention is a five day business event consisting of a comprehensive seminar line-up, a number of networking opportunities, a two-day football festival and a packed exhibition which is already close to selling out.

Held in a purpose-built venue within the Forte de Copacabana with panoramic views of both the famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, the exhibition is a hub for business activity; as one of the main components of the convention it provides a platform for leading suppliers from around the world to showcase the latest industry products and services to delegates.

For further information about this event please call +44 (0)208742 7100 or visit www.soccerex.com/global.

Ashley Brown, Chairman of the Pompey Supporters’ Trust has welcomed the High Court finally setting a date for the court case which will determine Portsmouth’s fate.

Administrator Trevor Birch of PKF has announced the case to determine whether he can sell the club to the PST-led bid will be heard on December 13 and 14. 

“It is a relief to know we will have some certainty sooner rather than later,’ said Ashley. ‘Our understanding is the matter will be resolved at this hearing as there is unlikely to be any grounds for any appeal. 

“If all goes according to plan, and our legal advisors say we have a strong case, we will take control of Portsmouth FC shortly afterwards and the process of rebuilding our club can begin. 

“That is why we are urging fans to fulfil their pledges or purchase shares by that date. The more working capital we can raise quickly, the more control we will have over the situation and the quicker we can get going with our plans. 

“We are very encouraged by the initial response to the share offer. There is a steady stream of pledges and new purchases of shares arriving hourly; so many that we haven’t been able to count them yet. 

“However fans can’t relax. This share offer needs to be a success or else there is a significant chance the club will be liquidated. There is no alternative offer on the table, so we have to make this work,’ he added.