Latest Commonwealth Games sponsor revealed

Birmingham 2022 has appointed Gi Group as official recruiter for the Commonwealth Games, to help find 1,000 people over the next two and a half years, to join the team planning and delivering the biggest sports and cultural event ever to be held in the West Midlands.

One of the world’s leading companies for the development of the labour market, Gi Group UK has operated for over 30 years and is active in numerous HR service markets including temporary, permanent and professional staffing, search and selection, outplacement, training and payroll services.

The company, which already has a team based in Birmingham 2022’s city centre headquarters in Brindley Place, will deliver end to end recruitment services for the organisers of the Games, including job profiling, onboarding and an outplacement programme which will assist all Birmingham 2022 staff with finding their next career move from August 2022, once the Games are over.

Currently employing 70 staff, the Birmingham 2022 team work with other Games partners including the Commonwealth Games Federation, Commonwealth Games England, DCMS, Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Combined Authority and West Midlands Police but leads on key areas such as the sports programme, venue management, transport, security, marketing and PR, ticketing, the volunteer programme, the cultural programme and the opening and closing ceremonies for the Games.

Ian Reid, CEO, said: “We are extremely pleased to have Gi Group onboard as our official recruiter. We’ll be appointing more than 1,000 people over the next two and a half years which is a huge task, so it’s fantastic that we now have an experienced recruitment partner and a dedicated team in place.

“Gi Group are already working very closely with our HR and recruitment team, ensuring that each functional area of our business gets the support it needs to bring on board the best possible people to help us deliver an outstanding Commonwealth Games.

“We’re adding vacancies to our website every single week, so there’s lots of exciting opportunities to apply for right now. We are already employing scores of people from across the West Midlands and we’d love more local people to join the team, so they can be part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase their region to the world.”

Paulo Canoa, country manager for Gi Group UK and Ireland, who has been involved from the outset of discussions and negotiations with responding to Birmingham 2022’s resourcing needs and requirements, said: “As a keen sportsman myself and a former professional basketball player this is hugely exciting for me personally.

"Being ultimately chosen as the professional Recruitment Process Outsourcing services provider, and particularly for what is providing one of the most critical aspects, the people resource, of such a historical and popular sporting event as the Commonwealth Games makes me extremely proud of the talented team we have in place across the Gi Group of companies.”

Commonwealth Games Federation CEO David Grevemberg CBE said: “We are delighted to see Gi Group partner with Birmingham 2022 as the official recruiter for the next Commonwealth Games.

“Birmingham 2022 will be a transformational event for the West Midlands, the UK and the entire Commonwealth and every single person working to make the Games a success has a unique opportunity to be part of something very special. Gi Group will play a critical role in helping secure the very best people to deliver a fantastic Commonwealth Games.”