Press release

Olympics manager discusses transport success for Commonwealth Games

A London Olympics transport expert will be talking to students about the need for local authorities to work together to ensure the success of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014.

Arnold Guanco, deputy bus system manager at theLondon Olympics , will be coming to Scotland to talk with event management student s from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

Tasked with the transportation of all of the technical officials to each part of the London Olympics, Arnold Guanco’s role was key to each and every sporting event taking place at the Games. Without the correct officials none of the events could even begin.

Arnold Guanco has years of Olympic experience under his belt having been manager of Transport for the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games and in charge of operations for the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.

At his only talk in Scotland, he will discuss the necessity for all local authorities to work together on national and local transport issues to ensure the successful flow of people of people visiting and taking part in the Commonwealth Games. Arnold will be highlighting some of the initiatives applied at the highly successful London Olympics and looking at lessons that Glasgow might consider to ensure the overall success of the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Professor Joe Goldblatt, Director of the International Centre for the Study of Planned Events at Queen Margaret University, said: “We are honoured that Arnold is making a special trip to Scotland just to talk to Queen Margaret University event students. Exposure to an events’ expert at this level and on such a high profile event, presents an outstanding learning opportunity for our students, and one in which they will be easily be able to relate to following the media exposure and timing of the Olympic Games.”

The University also hopes that senior transport officials in Scotland and organisers of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games will take this opportunity to join then at Queen Margaret University and learn from Arnold’s first-hand experience of implementing highly successful transport systems.

Professor Petra Wend, Principal of Queen Margaret University, said: “With QMU’s continued commitment to sustainability and green transport we are very keen to learn more from Arnold’s experience of the sustainable transport plans applied by cities hosting large scale events.”

She concluded: “Queen Margaret University is totally committed to producing well prepared, well rounded graduates who have up-to-date skills and knowledge which fit with employers’ needs. Our event management students are extremely fortunate to benefit from experts like Arnold Guanco who are ultimately helping improve the employability of our students as well as their overall student experience.”

Arnold Guanco’s talk, ‘ Moving Forward: The Challenges and Successes of London 2012 and the Opportunities for Glasgow 2014’ will take place at 12.45pm at 20 September 2012 at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

Attendance is free of charge. Please RSVP by Tuesday, 18 September 2012 to icspe@qmu.ac.uk

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITOR

Arnold Guanco’s holds a masters degree in tourism administration (MTA) from The George Washington University in the United States and was Professor Joe Goldblatt’s master’s degree student in the 1990s.

ENDS

For further media information please contact Lynne Russell, Press and PR Officer, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, tel: 0131 474 0000, mob: 07711 011239, Email: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk