The organisation behind the Paris bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic
Games (Paris 2012) today announced the creation of an association of leading French
businesses that will support Paris 2012 bid.
Leadership from eight major French companies will comprise the association’s
Board of Directors: Accor (the European leader in hotels and associated services),
Bouygues (a diversified industrial group with interests in telecoms, media, construction
and public utilities), Credit Agricole (retail and corporate banking), EDF (one
of the largest electricity utility in the world), and the Europe’s leading energy
provider), France Telecom (one of the largest telecommunications operators in
the world), Lagardere (leading French media and high-technology company), Renault
(automobile design, manufacturing and financing), RATP (Paris’ public transportation
system).
The association is a clear indication of the strong will and commitment of the
French business community to support Paris 2012. Countless French athletes, politicians
from all sides and residents of Paris and the Ile-de-France region have already
begun to demonstrate their desire to host the biggest international sporting event.
The eight founding companies, which have already brought the equivalent of Euro
12 million to the bid intend to mobilize their 720,000 employees around the world
to support the Paris bid internationally.
The mission of the group is also to develop specific initiatives to mobilize
French companies of all sizes, from SMEs to large corporations listed on the French
Stock Exchange market, and to encourage them to bring financial, technical and/or
logistical support to Paris’ bid, while respecting the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) Candidature Acceptance Procedures.
Arnaud Lagardere, Chairman of the association, said, “Our mobilization is key to the success
of Paris 2012. We want to demonstrate to the IOC that the French economic community
is motivated and fully committed to help Paris win.”
Philippe Baudillon, Director General of Paris 2012, added, “Paris 2012 is extremely thankful to
the French business community for their support. It shows how the best of France
is joining forces to promote our bid beyond borders in the respect of the IOC
candidature acceptance procedures”.
For further information please contact:
Paris 2012
Jérôme Lenfant
Media Relations Director
+33 (0)1 53 57 56 19