VERO Communications has been appointed by the Doha 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Bid Committee to lead the development of its global communications strategy. The account will be led by Mike Lee OBE, VERO Chief Executive and former Director of Communications and Public Affairs for London’s successful 2012 Games bid.
As well as providing strategic communications counsel, VERO will also oversee the roll-out of Doha 2016’s global PR, which will be implemented by Burson-Marsteller. Mike Lee will be a member of the Doha 2016 senior bid team reporting to Bid Chairman Hassan Ali Bin Ali.
Doha, the capital city of Qatar, is the first city in the Middle East to bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and successfully hosted the 2006 Asian Games.
Commenting on VERO’s appointment, Mike Lee said: “Doha 2016 is a hugely exciting bid and VERO is delighted to be a part of it. As the first Middle Eastern city to bid for an Olympic and Paralympic Games, the communication opportunities are unique and I and my team will be looking to embed those within the heart of the campaign and bring them alive. Doha has fantastic sporting infrastructure and a huge political desire to host the Games. This mixed with the geopolitical implications that come from being the first Arab bid city makes Doha a truly exciting candidate.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will vote to decide the host for the 2016 Games in October 2009