Baku, February 19, AZERTAC 

Baku 2015 European Games has today appointed Colin Gibson as Deputy Director of Communications with immediate effect.

Mr Gibson’s appointment comes as the Baku 2015 Operations Committee intensifies its communications activities in the run-up to the inaugural Games. Baku 2015’s press outreach work, sponsor and TV broadcast announcements, and public engagement initiatives such as the international athlete ambassador programme, have generated increasing interest from the media.

Several forthcoming initiatives are expected to draw even greater attention, including the 100 Days to Go milestone, ticketing launch, and the Baku 2015 Torch Relay ahead of the Opening Ceremony.

Having recently left the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) where he was Director of Media and Communications, Mr Gibson's career has also included roles as Director of Communications for the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Dubai, as well as the Football Association (FA) in London.

Mr Simon Clegg, Chief Operating Officer of Baku 2015, said: “I am delighted that Colin has agreed to join the Baku 2015 team. To have someone with his experience and ability to bolster our communications team as we move into a critical period in the delivery of the inaugural European Games here in Baku will prove invaluable.”

Mr William Louis-Marie, Director of Communications of Baku 2015, added: “We are seeing a steady rise in interest in the European Games, and Baku 2015’s media engagement will continue to increase in the months ahead. Colin’s contribution will be crucial during this period and, especially, during the Games themselves.

“His knowledge and experience of the international sports media world is second-to-none, and he has a proven track record of managing communications at major sporting events.”

Prior to his positions at the ECB, ICC and FA, Mr Gibson worked as an award-winning journalist, writing for the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph and the Daily Mail in London, as well as The Australian in Sydney.

Mr Gibson said: “I am very grateful for the opportunity to work at the first-ever European Games in such a vibrant city as Baku. The inaugural edition of the Games marks the start of a new chapter in Europe’s sporting history, and to be here at the beginning of that adventure is extremely exciting.”