Rome 2020 Acquires Helios Partners to Spearhead Bid

The Rome 2020 Olympic bid has chosen USA based Helios Partners as their main consultants to prepare the bid.

This makes Rome’s second Olympic campaign following defeat to Athens in 1997 for the 2004 Games.

Terrence Burns, President of Helios Partners, said: “For Helios, Rome is an enigmatic choice for 2020 for a lot of reasons. The 1960 Games in Rome were unique in so many ways – the world was changing, the Olympic Movement was changing.  And I think that 60 years later, Rome can help usher in another, new golden age for the Games. So, we wanted to be a part of helping Rome, because of its uniqueness and its history,  articulate a new vision for future Olympic Host Cities.”

Burns has worked on four winning Olympic bids – Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014 andPyeongchang 2018 – as well as on Russia’s successful campaign to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Following their amazing success with Pyeongchang, who swept to a first round victory at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Durban in July following two previous failed bids, Helios’ services were much in demand among the cities bidding for 2020.

But they have chosen Rome, who last hosted the Olympics in 1960, having also been strongly linked with Doha and Istanbul.

Mario Pescante, the Rome bid chairman and IOC vce-president, said: “We are pleased to have a great partner like Helios onboard for Rome 2020. Their reputation within the Olympic movement makes them a perfect fit for our existing, excellent team.”

Also Robert Fasulo has recently come on board with the Rome 2020 bid to work with international relations. Fasulo formerly was with the USOC and worked in the same capacity for the Chicago 2016 bid.

Rome is running in the 2020 summer Games race against Baku, Doha, Istanbul, Madrid, and Tokyo.