London Mayor Ken Livingstone will address 250 business leaders on Wednesday 6 October at a reception at Mansion House in London.
The reception, which will include leading firms from the FTSE 100, is co-hosted by the bid’s Premier Partners, EDF Energy, British Airways, BT, Virgin Atlantic and Accenture.
Following his speech at the Labour Party conference last week where he outlined the benefits hosting the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games would bring to the capital and the rest of the country, Ken Livingstone will encourage businesses to follow the lead of the Premier Partners and add their support to the bid.
Some of the benefits to London include:
The evening which will be the largest gathering of business leaders so far in support of the bid, will also include Olympians past and present, Seb Coe – London 2012 Chairman, and Alderman Robert Finch – Lord Mayor of the City of London.
Speaking ahead of the reception Mayor Ken Livingstone said:
‘Hosting the Olympic Games is an enormous undertaking that would have tremendous rewards for London as well as the wider UK. Businesses large and small are a vital part of ensuring we would deliver the best Games the world has ever seen in 2012. London 2012’s premier partners and other businesses backing the capital’s bid are already giving huge support and we welcome even greater business involvement as we head towards the IOC vote next July.’
Seb Coe, Chairman of London 2012 said:
‘The bid has some great supporters and we thank each one of our Corporate Partners for their commitment. We rely on their financial support as well as their efforts to spread the message about our bid and share their enthusiasm for the Games with businesses across the country.
‘As the momentum of the bid increases we need a visible show of support from people all over the UK. Businesses are a key to unlocking this support. We need their people, their families and their friends to get behind this bid – a bid that will make Britain proud.’
EDF Energy Chief Executive Vincent de Rivaz said:
‘EDF Energy is proud to be co-hosting this evening along with our fellow Premier Partners, as part of our ongoing support for the bid. After all the excitement of the Athens Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and the wonderful achievements of Team GB in winning their largest number of medals since 1984, the importance of bringing the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to this country has never been clearer.
‘I am proud to say that EDF Energy was the first to commit to being a Premier Partner for London 2012 and we are delighted to be working alongside British Airways, BT, Virgin Atlantic and Accenture as Premier Partners as well as nearly 40 other companies that make up London 2012’s official partner program. I would encourage all businesses to throw their support behind London. The tremendous support for the British athletes in Athens demonstrates this country’s enthusiasm and passion for sport. Athens showed us all that the Olympic Games continues to be the greatest sporting and cultural festival in the world – London would be the perfect host for this event.’
Lord Mayor Robert Finch pledged the support of the Corporation of London and the business City, saying: ‘The Corporation was among the first to get behind the bid and I myself went to the Athens Games to underline City support.
‘London 2012 is doing a great job: the Olympics will be good for the City, good for London and good for the UK.’
The IOC will vote to decide the 2012 host city on 6 July 2005. British business support for the London 2012 bid will play an essential part in the effort to bring the games to the UK.
For further details please contact the London 2012 Press Office: 020 7093 5100