Lord Seb Coe strikes gold at the PPP Dinner

A packed gathering from the world of public private finance gave Lord Sebastian Coe a rousing reception at the PPP Journal Annual Dinner, sponsored by Capita Symonds, at London's Park Lane Hotel in late September. Speaker, sponsors and guests were unanimous: it was an outstanding occasion.

It was certainly a compelling performance from perhaps Britain's greatest ever athlete and now chairman of the London Organising Committee of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. He left his audience with a clear and positive impression of his vision for the Games.


He said the London Olympic project was "something far wider than 16 days of sport". It would be a step change in "how we view ourselves . . . the way we view disability, the way we commission responsibly and sustainably, and in how offer hospitality".

"Most of our budget has nothing to do with the Games. It is about regeneration," he told the dinner – superbly staged and organised by Public Service Events. "I don't think we fully appreciated all that it was about when we started." But he was confident that the Olympic opportunity was being grasped with both hands; development was on time, on budget and with more than £500,000 of private sector investment.


The multi-world recordbreaker and double Olympic champion drew on his experience as an athlete and then as an MP when approaching the Games' bid and then the development of the 2012 project for real. He recalled facing up to Britain's other world-class middle-distance runner Steve Ovett in the European Championships of 1978 with everyone talking about a two-horse race for the 800m gold. Both were beaten by an East German, prompting Ovett to put an arm round Coe at the end to ask "Who the ---- was that?"

He took nothing for granted, he said, and, after an uncertain start to the Games' bid, he found: "The nature of how we did the Games was reversed. Smart people figure out how to do project management. For us it was about why. Why were our people prepared to risk so much?


"It was very clear for me that if we got this right we had an opportunity to pull back some of the territory that we had lost for a generation." He recalled joining Haringey Athletics Club when in the early ‘80s about 40 per cent of his teammates were from the troubled Broadwater Farm estate. Going to the athletics club was the only solid part of their week; their coaches were the only male role models. Staging the Olympics in London, he said, was far more important than a sports competition.

Public Service Events are already arranging the 2010 PPP Dinner. Make your plans now.

How did guests enjoy the 2009 PPP Dinner experience?

"An amazing event. Our clients and PKF people commented on the fantastic venue choice, excellent food and atmosphere. It was a real pleasure to participate." K Rabava PKF (UK) LLP

"Superb" Andrew Sykes, Co-operative Bank

"A very enjoyable evening – thank you for organising it so efficiently" R Coates, Blackburn Council