Olympic procurement in London boosts professions profile

The close attention to procurement of services to stage the London 2012 Olympic Games is boosting the professions profile according to the Director at the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG).

“We take all major deals right the way up to an approval group, which is chaired by the chief executive and includes the CFO,” Director of LOCOG, Gerry Walsh said.

“As a result, the profile of procurement could not be higher. It keeps procurement right up there in the forefront, but also makes sure we’re engaged with the organisation, which I think is extremely important,” he said.

CIPS has awarded LOCOG with organisational certification in the past month, which has further boosted the credibility of the profession, Walsh said.

“When I mentioned we had received this certification it was amazing how interested the audit committee were. This was clearly some evidence that what they were being presented with, in terms of proposed large deals, was supported by a process that they could say had been judged by an external organisation,” he said.

LOCOG is a private sector organisation, funded through the games’ sponsorship, ticketing, licensing and TV rights. It is responsible for fitting out buildings and buying the massive array of goods and services needed to stage the Olympic event.

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