British businesses involved in the London Olympics were today urged to pitch for work on the Rio Games as the value of Brazilian contracts awarded to UK firms hit an estimated £90 million.
The British consulate in Rio emphasised the opportunities in Brazil as it hosts the football Confederations Cup next year, the 2014 football World Cup and the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics.
British experts have already landed 20 contracts worth between £50 million-£90 million, ranging from stadium equipment suppliers, a PR firm and the designers of the Olympic Park.
AECOM, responsible for the Olympic Park in Stratford, has taken on the same role in Rio, while consultancy firm Arup is advising the Olympic village team on sustainability. Pitch specialist CRL is working on World Cup venues while east London firm Bluecube is supplying seats to the football stadium in Fortaleza.
Transport consultancy Steer Davies Gleave is working in nine World Cup host cities, while VERO Communications and management consultants Ernst & Young are on board for the Olympics.
Prime Minister David Cameron led a trade mission to Rio after the Olympics where he emphasised the potential business legacy of London 2012. There have been 160 trade missions between the two countries and 100 Brazilians have been on secondment to the UK Government during the Games.
Marcelo Tavares, sports and infrastructure manager at the British Consulate, encouraged UK firms to explore opportunities with thousands of contracts still to be awarded by the Rio 2016 organising committee.
