Helios Shuts Atlanta Office

Corporate restructuring leads to the end of business for the Atlanta office of Helios Partners.

The firm was known for its work on Olympic bids such as Sochi 2014 but also was involved in marketing sponsorships for a variety of non-Olympic sports properties around the world.

"Over the past few months, Helios has been undergoing a process of refining and refocusing its core business and priorities going forward," says Helios chief Chris Renner in a statement from Paris, where the company is headquartered.

"In shifting the company's global headquarters to its Paris office, Helios will ensure seamless delivery of its obligations to existing and prospective clients, to which it will continue to provide a full range of services through its offices in China and Europe," says Renner.

Helios was founded in 2004 by Terrence Burns and Chris Welton, both veterans in Olympic sponsorship. The Paris-based Amaury Group acquired a majority stake in Helios in 2008, but the relationship Burns and Welton had with the French owners soured in 2012. Both parted from the company just over a year ago amid some acrimony and payouts.

Kevin Donovan, an exec in the closed office,tells Around the Rings that he and some of his colleagues hope to work on a contract basis with Helios on specific projects, such as a 2022 Winter Olympic bid.

Donovan says the Atlanta office shut its doors for the last time May 15. The redundancy affects around 10 people.

"The Helios team looks forward to continuing to deliver outstanding industry services and develop global business opportunities with the full support of the Amaury Group and ASO," said Renner in his statement.

Written by Ed Hula

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