Chairman's club helps London Olympic legacy
Legacy has been one of the keywords for the 2012 Olympics even before London was awarded the Games in 2005.
In the four years since great strides have been made in developing the infrastructure for the Games but less tangible are the long-term employment benefits for east London.
That's where the Chairman's Club comes in. Formed a year ago, the club brings together all the official partners of the 2012 Games to promote business to business links and work towards ensuring a lasting legacy.
It's being driven by Deloitte, Locog and Think London, the Wharf-based agency which brings overseas investment to the capital. For Janet Coyle, head of Think London's 2012 programme, the formation of the Chairman's Club is a vital component of the Olympic plan.
She said: "Essentially it's a high level business forum and it's something that's not been done before in any Olympic host city. It was created last year and is open to managing directors and chairmen of the 2012 sponsors.
"What used to happen was the directors would meet informally but we realised there was an opportunity to look at business to business opportunities and, more importantly, pool ideas to look at the legacy.
"Every business involved is in a unique position and all have their individual plans under their Olympic sponsorships but we wanted to see tangible benefits so we have got together to work on projects we can drive collectively.
"Our three key topics are talent, sustainability and corporate social responsibility. We have a number of projects in development and although we have no specific outcomes yet there is a real willingness to work together and the momentum is gathering."
The second Chairman's Club meeting was held at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford two weeks ago and although the top brass only get together once a year Ms Coyle believes it helps attract investment to London.
She said: "I feel this is a fantastic opportunity for Think London and it's a real catalyst to engage with our audience. The Olympics can be used to pass on a broader message about London in places like North America and other regions.
"For example, we helped Chinese media firm Crystal Digital set up a facility in Hammersmith and now they are a tier three partner of the Olympics. Because of that they are looking for new facilities in London. That means the creation of around 50 jobs. There's one Chinese person working there and the rest of the staff are from London."
Ms Coyle said the fruits of the Chairman's Club will become apparent over the next two years, and its effects will last much longer.
She said: "All the work we do linked to the Olympic Games is sustainable. It has a long-term benefit. And we're not just focused on east London but the capital as a whole. I feel very positive about the Games and its legacy."
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