The European Tour is delighted to announce that Michael Cole, who sat behind the delivery of BT Global Services’ highly successful London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games technology programme, has been appointed the Tour’s Chief Technology Officer, effective from today.
Widely recognised as a foremost expert in technology-based sports delivery, Michael will use his experience in the sector to lead all strands of digital development and technical operations, including the creation of a Technology Centre of Excellence that will deliver sustainable and future proofed services for the European Tour.
“I am delighted to be joining the European Tour at such an exciting time for golf and at such a pivotal time in terms of technology too, where so much is changing,” he said. “I am very much looking forward to the future and what can be achieved.”
With over 25 years’ experience in technology, marketing and commercial partnerships, Michael is a highly accomplished senior technology director with a plethora of knowledge spanning international corporate sectors, the global sports industry and Government.
In the role of London 2012 Marketing and Communications Director for BT Global Services, he was instrumental in BT being recognised as the leading domestic partner, helping secure its position into the Global 100 brands for the first time in its history.
In addition, he also served as a member of the Paralympics Ireland commercial advisory board, was a member on the executive board of UK’s Department for International Trade Global Sports Advisory Council, and was business adviser to StreetGames, a British-based sports charity.
Michael, who also ran his own consulting firm TrueGold Communications, remains a regular speaker at international sporting conferences discussing the impact of technology on major sporting events and has been involved in a number of global events including the Olympic Games for Rio2016, Pyeongchang2018 and Tokyo2020, as well as the Pan American Games in 2019.
In recent months, he has completed an in-depth strategic review of the Tour’s technological platforms and will use the information gleaned to shape the strategy moving forward.
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “I am delighted to welcome Michael to the role of Chief Technology Officer and onto the Executive Leadership Team at Wentworth. Excellence in technology is crucial to the future of the European Tour and in Michael we have the man with the requisite vision and understanding to lead that vision.
“His experience in all facets of technology, across the corporate sector and in many areas of the sporting industry will undoubtedly benefit a diverse, global organisation such as the European Tour.”
–ENDS–
Michael Cole
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
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THE EUROPEAN TOUR – CELEBRATING GOLF. WORLDWIDE.
About The European Tour
The European Tour celebrates men’s professional golf on a global stage. In 2017, the European Tour International Schedule features a minimum of 47 tournaments in 26 countries, including eight Rolex Series events, all part of the Race to Dubai.
Celebrating the global connectivity of the European Tour and Dubai, the Race to Dubai is a season-long competition to crown the European Tour’s Number One player, an honour which in 2016 went to Sweden’s Henrik Stenson for the second time, and which since 2009 has also been achieved three times by Rory McIlroy, as well as by Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Luke Donald. Formerly known as the Order of Merit, points are accumulated based on prize money won, with the top 10 ranked players at the end of the season sharing a $5million Race to Dubai bonus pool.
Since its formation in 1972, the European Tour has witnessed 26 Members celebrate a total of 52 Major Championship titles between them, enjoyed ten Members attaining the pinnacle of World Number One and has celebrated its diversity as players from 36 different countries have won on the Tour.
The European Tour also manages the Challenge Tour, which featured 28 tournaments in 22 countries in 2016, and the Senior Tour, which featured 13 tournaments in nine countries in 2016. It is also the Managing Partner of Ryder Cup Europe, the body which, alongside the PGA of America, administers golf’s greatest team contest, The Ryder Cup.
The European Tour broadcasts live coverage of its tournaments to more than 490 million homes in more than 150 countries every week, generating in excess of 2,200 global broadcast hours for each event. It also enjoys the support of many of the world’s leading business brands with Rolex, BMW, Emirates and Titleist as Official Partners.
