PN38/2012

23 May 2012

British Business Club hits 3.5k figure in countdown to 2012 Games

More than 3,500 members have signed up to the British Business Club – the online business networking resource for UK and overseas firms during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Club has grown from strength to strength since it was established earlier this year by UK Trade & Investment, in collaboration with London Business Network, London & Partners and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Club provides up-to-date details of networking events, business activity, news and potential business partners all centred around the London 2012 Games, in order to boost opportunities for British and International companies.

It allows members to promote their business capability, knowledge and skills using an online profile, connecting to business partners worldwide.

President of the British Business Club, Sir John Armitt, said:

“This is a fantastic response to what is a great networking tool for businesses around the world. I encourage all businesses, large and small, to take advantage of this completely free service at such a wonderfully opportune time for businesses to strike deals at home and abroad.”

Sir John joins Sports Minister Hugh Robertson and Lord Sebastian Coe this week at global sports convention, Sport Accord, in Quebec.

Here he will be encouraging businesses to sign up and be a part of the unique opportunity that the British Business Club presents.

He will also be launching UK Trade & Investment’s Supplier’s Directory version 2 ‘Springboard to Success’ – an exclusive resource to promote the UK’s world-class expertise in delivering infrastructure, specialist technology, services and skills needed to make major international sporting and cultural events a success.

Specifically, it aims to help future host nations such as Brazil or Russia identify opportunities to work with British firms in staging world class events.

The UK is already a world leader in this sector – one that PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated is currently worth £74 billion a year, globally. It is also a market that is growing faster than the world economy - with forecasts that it will top £90 billion by 2015.

The Suppliers Directory follows UK Trade & Investment’s flagship programme Host to Host, a business initiative, designed to create a valuable business legacy between the UK and future host nations.

The Host to Host platform promotes the UK’s expertise in delivering major sporting events – not just for 2012 Games suppliers. It also connects previous and future hosts to begin developing best practice and generates valuable trade and investment opportunities.

Agreements so far include: Russia for Sochi 2014, Brazil for FIFA World Cup 2014, Rio 2016 and South Korea for the 2018 Winter Games.

Sir John Armitt and representatives from UK Trade & Investment are accompanied by 16 British based companies to Sport Accord this year, to promote UK skills and expertise.

Media Contact

For more information please contact Kirsty Smith at kirsty.smith@ukti.gsi.gov.uk or on 020 7215 8547

Notes to editors:

The British Business Club is a valuable resource available to help members make the most of business networking and activity around the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and other major sports events now and in the future.

An online, one-stop shop, the British Business Club provides up-to-date details of networking events, business activity, news and potential partners boosting the opportunities for UK companies to make beneficial international business connections.

Members are able to showcase their business capability, expertise and know-how by creating an online profile, allowing them to build their networks and connect with business partners worldwide, increasing their opportunity to meet and engage with potential business partners during the exciting atmosphere of a major sports event itself.

Members are also able to promote relevant business events as well as benefit from exclusive offers, including London hotel discounts.

The British Business Club is a partnership between UK Trade & Investment, London & Partners, the London Business Network and BIS, on behalf of the UK-wide London 2012 Business network.

For more information and to join for free, visit: www.britishbusinessclub.org

Twitter: @britbizclub

Springboard to Success online directory – UK Major Event Expertise

Springboard to Success is an online showcase of the UK’s world class expertise in delivering the infrastructure, specialist technology, services and skills to make the world’s major event possible.

www.springboardtosuccess.co.uk

Sport Accord

The six day gathering of more than 1500 leading representatives from international sports offers a powerful opportunity on a global scale, to build new and develop existing relationships, share knowledge and ideas.

About UKTI

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the government department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. We also help overseas companies bring their high quality investment to the UK’s economy – acknowledged as Europe’s best place from which to succeed in global business. UKTI offers expertise and contacts through its extensive network of specialists in the UK, and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world. We provide companies with the tools they require to be competitive on the world stage. For more information on UKTI, visit www.ukti.gov.uk or telephone +44 (0)207 215 8000. For latest press releases, visit the online newsroom at www.ukti.gov.uk/media.

Appendix of companies visiting Sport Accord

4 Global is a major sporting events consultancy focused on supporting federations, organising committees, governments and cities. 4Global has been involved in every Olympic Games since Sydney 2000 and in multiple World Championships, Fifa World Cups and Commonwealth Games.

The Arena Group specialises in the design and delivery of overlay solutions for major sporting events across the globe. Arena works in partnership with iconic brands and internationally-recognised events including the Ryder Cup in Spain, Ireland and the UK, F1 in Silverstone, Abu Dhabi, and the Commonwealth Games in New Zealand and India.

Bulletproof is a leading international sports branding consultancy, with offices in London and New York. Bulletproof has worked with some of the world’s leading sports brands and institutions including the FA, Wembley Stadium, Arsenal FC, the ICC, The Football Association of Wales and the Coca-Cola Company.

Designwerk is an award winning creative agency specialising in brand communication. Designwerk partner with governing bodies, federations, rights holders, leagues, sports marketing agencies, and prominent brands.

Faulknerbrowns Architects is a research based architectural design practice located in the north east of England. Faulknerbrowns has gained a national and international reputation for innovation in regeneration and master planning, and in the design of buildings for sport, leisure, learning, research and work place.

Green 4 are a leading supplier of tailored software solutions for the sports industry. Green 4’s product portfolio include, Sports Administration, Media Accreditation, Competitions Management, Player Passport, Athlete Performance, eCommunications, Ticketing and Booking, Corporate Sales and Hospitality.

Inside the Games is an online news service bringing the latest news and interviews from the worlds of Olympic, Commonwealth and Youth Games.

JLT sport specialise in risk management and programme placement for sports risks. JLT has worked with a number of Federations and event organisers over many years, and have developed programmes which address their demands and needs.

Major Events International (MEI) support companies and organisations involved in planning and delivering iconic events. Services to countries include market intelligence, customer introductions, bid support and representing them in-country to reduce the time and risks involved in winning business.

Pinsent Masons is a market leading law firm with global expertise in advising on major national and international projects and competitions. It operates in business centres across Europe, the Middle East and Far East, to companies within the sports, media and entertainment sectors.

pmplegacy is an international management consultancy working with clients on both global sporting events and global sports projects. Pmplegacy works with cities and local organising committees on evaluating, bidding for, planning and delivering major sporting events. Its consultancy service works on initial feasibility stages through to business planning.

Populous is a global design practice specialising in creating environments that draw people and communities together. For more than a quarter of a century Populous has provided design solutions for sports architecture, conference and exhibition centre architecture, interior design, environmental graphics, events planning and overlay, master planning, sustainable design consulting and facilities operations analysis.

Re:Systems provide innovative web-based business and ticketing solutions to a vast and diverse number of clients in both public and private sectors in the UK and abroad. Business solutions include complementary mixes of internet, e-ticketing, and marketing services.

Sportworks is a dynamic and flexible sports event management and logistics company with a proven track record of planning and delivering world-class projects. Sportworks deliver to the global sports market sport event management, event logistics, training and development and event technology.

Ticketmaster is a market leader in online ticket purchasing. Ticketmaster provide marketing support, CRM and database management, software solutions, access control technology, consultancy, project management, retail and full project solutions.

Travel Places helps teams, sponsors, press and sporting organisations to get to their events around the world on time, on budget. Travel Places manage travel logistics for participants in Formula 1 Racing, GP2, World Rally Championship, Volvo Ocean Race, the America’s Cup, World Cup Football, European Football Championships, World Equestrian Games, Commonwealth Games and numerous national teams and Federations in tennis, hockey and basketball.