Five key appointments

With five years to go to the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, 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.

Martin is currently Director of Events and Special Projects for AEG Europe and has played a key role in the successful opening of the 02 complex in Greenwich. Prior to this Martin was Head of Events for the London Mayor's office and worked on most of the city's major events including New Year's Eve, Live 8 and a raft of specialist festivals that celebrate London's diverse communities. Martin's first project will be the Handover Ceremonies at next year's Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Mike Gibbons has been appointed as Head of Live Sites and UK Coordination. London 2012 aims to extend the idea of Live Sites (large outdoor video screens linked to performance spaces) to locations around the UK. Mike will be building on a network of partnerships and the success of Live Sites at previous Games to share the experience of great sport, culture and education linked with London 2012 to as many communities as possible.

Mike currently leads the Live Events Department at the BBC where he has played a leading role in many major events including BBC Proms in the Park, Live 8, The Electric Proms, Athens Torch Relay Concert and The Queen's Golden Jubilee. He has pioneered the existing chain of Public Space Broadcasting Big Screens in eight cities around the UK
Both posts will report to Bill Morris, Director of Culture, Ceremonies and Education.

Sue Hunt has been appointed as Director of Strategy and Programme Management, with responsibility for the company's strategic business planning and project management. She joined the Organising Committee this week, following a twenty year career at Goldman Sachs, where she held several senior management positions, including, most recently, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of the European Special Situations Group.

Sue will report to Chief Executive Paul Deighton.

Punita Gajree joins Sue in the Programme and Risk Management team as Head of Programme Solutions. She has over 16 years' management consultancy experience, shaping and delivering large complex business and technology programmes

Ty Speer has been appointed as Client Services Director. Reporting to Commercial Director Chris Townsend, Ty will be responsible for developing and managing relationships with national and international sponsors and commercial partners.

Ty has 15 years' experience in the sports marketing and sponsorship industry, including senior commercial roles with the Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. He will join LOCOG in August.

Paul Deighton, Chief Executive of the London Organising Committee commented:

“I'm thrilled to enhance our senior team with such exciting and high calibre appointments. In the week we mark five years to go to the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, its fitting that we have completed the team of people who will build distinctive and outstanding ceremonies for London 2012, and create UK wide celebrations to ensure the whole of the UK can be part of 2012.

We have also significantly strengthened our business planning and commercial operations with the appointment of two highly experienced and talented operators. Sue Hunt will lead our strategic and operational planning as we manage a complex project which is the equivalent of staging 26 world championships at the same time, and Ty Speer will build our relationships with our current and future commercial partners who will provide a significant revenue stream as we raise the £2 billion of private funds we need to stage the Games. As the countdown to 2012 continues, we have our senior management team in place, ready to deliver a truly memorable Games.”

– Ends –

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100.