Olympic Sponsorship Could Unlock Billions; London Security Sponsor; Iraqi Olympic Deal

Dow Chemicals’ Olympic vice president says the company believes the Olympics can open $100 billion worth of work.

Speaking to The Moscow Times, George Hamilton said "We estimate that the Olympic Games will drive in excess of $100 billion of infrastructure spending over the next 10 years. This is very much a commercial proposition for us."

The Midland Michigan-based company became a TOP sponsor in 2010 and has a deal with the IOC lasting through 2020.

"This gives us a global platform for telling Dow's story, about how our technology and our science bring improvements to humankind every day," Hamilton said.

With the 2014 Olympics now a little less than three years away, Hamilton said he hopes the Games can springboard Dow into the Russian construction marketplace.

"It's actually more than the games themselves. There is a great opportunity for us … to begin to make connections with government procurement."

Hamilton said the Olympics are "actually the most complex business which I have ever been involved in."

LOCOG Signs Tier Three Security Sponsor

LOCOG has booked G4S Secure Solutions as the security services provider for the London 2012 Games.

The tier-three sponsor will provide a 10,000-person security force for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. G4S will recruit, train and manage the team.

"This deal represents where we are with our plans for the Games" Paul Deighton, LOCOG CEO, said in a press release. "We’re now looking at operational delivery."

"Our commercial program has been a great success and we’re not approaching our targets which will contribute to the staging of spectacular Games in 2012."

LOCOG and G4S also will partner for the Bridging the Gap plan. The program identifies UK college students and recruits them into the security industry.

G4S has provided security for Olympic Park since 2008.

Iraqi Olympic Committee Inks Telecom Sponsor

The largest Iraqi telecommunicationscompany, Asiacell, has signed on to sponsor The National Olympic Committee of Iraq.

Asiacell will support the Olympic Committee and the Iraqi Football Association’s national teams.

"We believe that sports can serve as an instrumental tool in social development" Diar Ahmed, Asiacell CEO said.

"This sponsorship showcases our true sense of belonging, as an Iraqi company, to our society and reflects our sincere interest in supporting various sporting, cultural and artistic initiatives that bring true value to our country."

Asiacellis the only telecommunications company to supply mobile coverage to the entire Iraqi country.

IT Jobs Boost from 2012 Games

A report from Greythorn, an I.T. jobs recruiting company finds 5000 information technology jobs will be created by the 2012 Olympics.

Paul Winchester, Managing Director of Greythorn, said "the IT and telecoms infrastructure required to host the Olympics will leave a significant high-tech footprint on the UK labour market. Before the Olympics begin, emergency service lines need to be secured, WiFi coverage needs to be expanded (including an attempt to get internet access across the tube network in time for the games), and measures must be taken to prevent cyber attacks."

"The demand for skilled technology professionals is already increasing markedly. Given that five percent of the UK's 29.12 million strong workforce work in IT and telecoms, and government forecasts suggest 103,000 permanent jobs will be created by the Games, our estimate may be on the conservative side."

Written by Ed Hula III and Isia Reaves Wilcox.