Locog Beefs Up 2012 Management Team

LOCOG, the London 2012 organising committee, has announced a raft of senior
management appointments as it looks to strengthen its team delivering the 2012
Olympics.

With exactly five years to go before the opening ceremony, LOCOG has named
five key hires across a range of departments with a view to co-ordinating
various aspects of the Games organisation.

Martin Green has been appointed as head of ceremonies, with responsibility
for planning the opening and closing ceremonies, the Torch Relay and medal
ceremonies for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

The first project for Green, who is currently director of events and special
projects for AEG Europe and has played a key role in the successful opening of
the O2 complex in Greenwich, will be the handover ceremonies at next year’s
Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Former BBC Events chief Mike Gibbons has been named as head of live sites and
UK coordination for London 2012 with responsibility for extending the idea of
live sites – large outdoor video screens linked to performance spaces – to
locations around the UK. 

Both posts will report to Bill Morris, director of culture, ceremonies and
education at LOCOG.

Additionally Sue Hunt has been appointed as director of strategy and
programme management, with responsibility for the company’s strategic business
planning and project management. Hunt joins LOCOG this week, following a
twenty-year career at Goldman Sachs. 

Punita Gajree joins Hunt in the programme and risk management team as head of
programme solutions.

Finally former Melbourne Commonwealth Games commercial executive Ty Speer has
been appointed as client services director, joining in August. Reporting to
commercial director Chris Townsend, Speer will be responsible for developing and
managing relationships with national and international sponsors and commercial
partners.