Senior figures from three of the world’s most dynamic sports economies are to address the Sports Event Management Conference 2008 in London on November 12.
His Excellency Sheik Saoud Bin Abdurahman Al Thani, Secretary General, of the Qatar Olympic Committee will join Dmitry Chernyshenko, President of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games Organising Committee and Kelven Tan Head of Sports Marketing at the Singapore Sports Council to discuss the role of major sports events in defining modern nations.
Dmitry Chernyshenko led the victorious Sochi bid to stage the 2014 Winter Games and now heads the project to deliver the Games which will transform the Black Sea resort and its mountainous hinterland into one of the world’s leading winter sports resorts and training venues. It marks a new era for sport in Russia and will help shape the way the nation is viewed by the world.
As Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Sheik Saoud is responsible for delivering on a national sports policy which extends from grassroots activities to hosting some of the world’s most prestigious events. Since the phenomenal success of the 2006 Asian Games, Qatar has consolidated its position as host of major sports events and this year adds the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in women’s tennis to a roster which includes European Tour Golf, ATP Tour events and Moto GP among others.
The conference session will be chaired by Kevin Roberts, Editorial Director of SportBusiness Group who said: “I am not sure whether there has been an event with such a powerful panel assembled to discuss the power of sport to transform nations, their economies and prospects.
“We are delighted to have these speakers on board for what will certainly be one of the highlights of the 3rd Sports Event Management Conference. Anybody who works in sport has to understand how the global sports economy is changing and it is the work being carried out and investment being made by these individuals and their colleagues, which will help transform the landscape and create business opportunities for those individuals and companies able to step up to the plate and meet the expectations of the 21st Century,” he said.
Sports Event Management 2008 will be held at The Novotel, St Pancras, London on November 12 and has attracted a stellar line-up of speakers, including London 2012 CEO Paul Deighton, Harvey Goldsmith CBE, Chairman of Ignition, HE Sheik Saoud Abdulrahman Al Thani, Secretary General to the Qatar Olympic Committee, Hugh Robertson MP, the UK’s Shadow Sports Olympics Minister, Nick Bitel, CEO of the London Marathon, Nick Rusling, Managing Director, IMG Mass Participation Sport, Jens Holm, CEO of the International Masters Games Association, Dilbagh Gill, Head of Sports at Satyam and Sean Jefferson, CEO, Mindshare-Performance.
The conference is one of a trio of high profile events organised by Rushmans at the Novotel, St Pancras on November 12 and 13. It will be followed by the SportBusiness Sports Event Management Awards, a black-tie gala dinner to celebrate the presentation of this year’s prestigious awards, and the Sports Security Summit which runs on November 13.
