Event at the Royal Albert Hall next week to show project managers have the ability to deliver 2012 games

The RICS is to host an Olympic summit for project managers at the Royal Albert Hall next week to help prove the sector has the capacity and experience to deliver the 2012 games.

The event, led by the RICS, will bring together clients and project management firms and is to be attended by officials from the bid team, Wembley National Stadium and high-profile companies including Laing O’Rourke and Taylor Woodrow.

Richard Schofield, chairman of the RICS project management faculty board, said the organisation wanted to raise awareness of the role of project managers in delivering the 2012 bid.

He said: “We want to raise the profile of project management. The event has an important link to the 2012 bid as we want to demonstrate enthusiasm, drive and understanding within the project management community to deliver on such a major scheme.”

Schofield added that the event was also aimed at other potential regeneration clients. He said: “We are grouping together to show that this sector of the industry is ready to provide support and guidance on projects. Project management is an integral part of regeneration in Britain.”

The event will showcase products and services, and will also aim to illustrate project management skills such as leadership and teamwork through a series of theatrical and musical performances. These will be based on events from British history to highlight the patriotic nature of the bid.

We want to demonstrate the enthusiasm and drive of project managers

Richard Schofield, RICS

The event was conceived by independent project manager Steve Wake, who specialises in earned value and has worked as a consultant for London Underground and on Heathrow Terminal 5.

Wake approached the RICS after the Association of Project Management, of which he is a council member, was unable to organise such a large event because of other commitments. The APM is one of the event’s sponsors.

Wake said: “The APM ran away screaming: it was too big for them to bite off by themselves. But we needed as big a turnout as possible to make an impression on bid officials and the International Olympic Committee.”

He added that the Olympic bid presented an opportunity to promote project management in general. He said: “I was already looking for an event to raise the profile of project management and get a large forum from the sector together.”