Like it or not, major sports events like the Olympics need corporate sponsors to help pay the bills. And those sponsors need someone to run the show.
For Coca Cola, that person is Nicola Kettlitz, 47. From support on the torch relay to providing entertainment and refreshments at the games, Kettlitz has organized it all.
Born in Italy, Kettlitz was raised in Brazil and did his undergraduate degree and MBA in the U.S.
He started his career working with Chrysler in Detroit, and was later recruited by Coke’s head office in Atlanta.
The company then sent him back to Italy, where he rose to the country’s top job for the company.
But Kettlitz was used to travel and change. So when Coke needed someone to head up sponsorship for the 2006 games in Torino, Kettlitz took the job — after some hesitation.
“How often in a big company like Coke do you get the opportunity to start something from scratch? I took the job in Torino somewhat reluctantly. It turned out to be the best job of my life.”
After the games ended, Kettlitz packed up his wife and daughter to move back to Atlanta — then Coke’s Canadian office called, asking him to organize the 2010 games. He redirected a shipment of furniture and moved to Vancouver three years ago.
The job started with about two years of planning. For the relay, for instance, Kettlitz had to decide how to choose 4,500 torch bearers (he eventually settled on getting people to write essays about how they’re living greener), and plan how the company would take care of bearers and provide entertainment on the route.
Kettlitz has spent the last year hiring staff and seeing his ideas come to life. He’s been following the torch as much as possible: When he does he pretty much lives out of his car and answers his BlackBerry constantly.
Now, he’s back in Vancouver hiring more staff: He’ll have 600 in total once the games start.
He’ll put the finishing touches on how Coke will sell drinks and provide refreshments free for staff and athletes at sports venues, and pull together programming for Coke’s special events venues, like the 8,500 square foot tent in downtown Vancouver.
During the game, Kettlitz will constantly drop in on the venues to encourage staff and deal with problems; plus he’ll be showing Coke’s executives and clients around.
Those will be long days: He’ll crash at a downtown Vancouver apartment during the games.
When it’s over, he expects lots of tears. “I cried at the end of Torino. You don’t want it to be over.”
