CDW

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

CDW was announced on June 12, 2025, as the Official IT Equipment Services and Solutions Provider of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA. The partnership places CDW at the infrastructure layer of the Games, designing, implementing, and managing the full technology lifecycle across LA28's offices, competition venues, and non-competition sites.

CDW is a $22+ billion IT solutions provider, the largest pure-play technology reseller in the United States. The company serves over 250,000 business, government, education, and healthcare customers, positioning itself as a "technology orchestrator" rather than a simple hardware reseller. The LA28 deal puts CDW's Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) model on a global stage, with a sustainability angle built around maximizing equipment reuse after the Games.

This is CDW's first Olympic partnership. The company is a Fortune 200 firm but has historically maintained a low consumer-brand profile, operating primarily through B2B and public sector channels. The LA28 sponsorship represents an opportunity to elevate brand recognition beyond its core IT procurement audience.

1. OLYMPIC HISTORY & MARKETING PRESENCE

1.1 Partnership Timeline & Evolution

This is CDW's first Olympic sponsorship. The company has no prior history with the Olympic Movement. The partnership was announced in June 2025.

CDW has previously sponsored professional sports properties, including a long-running relationship with the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, but the LA28 deal marks its entry into global sports sponsorship.

1.2 Milano Cortina 2026

No Milano Cortina 2026 activation identified. CDW's partnership is exclusively with the LA28 Games, focused on IT infrastructure and Device-as-a-Service delivery.

1.3 Signature Programs

No Olympic-specific programs predate the LA28 deal. CDW's activation plan centers on:

• Device-as-a-Service (DaaS): Full technology lifecycle management including hardware, SaaS provisioning, accessories, and pre-loaded enterprise applications with secure controls.
• On-Site IT Support: CDW experts providing centralized and venue-level IT services spanning pre-Games, Games, and post-Games periods.
• Equipment Reuse Program: Post-Games reuse of technology equipment through the DaaS model, supporting LA28's sustainability commitments.

2. LA28-SPECIFIC INITIATIVES

2.1 Announced Plans & Positioning

CDW's LA28 role is operational and infrastructure-focused:

• Scope: Design, implement, and manage IT equipment across LA28's growing workforce, including servers, laptops, desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.
• Service Model: Full DaaS solution covering hardware deployment, SaaS provisioning, security controls, and lifecycle management.
• Venue Coverage: Technology support at competition venues, non-competition venues, and administrative offices throughout the pre-Games, Games, and post-Games periods.
• Sustainability: The DaaS model enables maximized reuse of technology equipment after the Games, aligning with LA28's broader sustainability goals and serving as a potential model for future major events.

LA28 Venue Context: The Games will use 40+ competition venues across the LA metro area, with a dual-venue Opening Ceremony shared between the LA Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium (announced May 2025). LA28 will be the first Games since 1948 built entirely on existing infrastructure. CDW's IT deployment spans this entire dispersed footprint, coordinating with Cisco (networking), Snowflake (data), Deloitte (technology integration), and T-Mobile (telecommunications, 5G across 110+ connected locations). The LA28 organizing committee has grown to occupy approximately 160,000 sq ft of office space in downtown Los Angeles, with operational headquarters eventually scaling to accommodate up to 4,000 people.

2.2 Regulatory/Market Context

• The scale of LA28's technology infrastructure needs is significant: 40+ venues, thousands of staff, global media operations, and security systems all requiring coordinated IT deployment.
• CDW's existing strength in public sector IT (government, healthcare, education) translates to the kind of large-scale, security-conscious deployment that Olympic operations require.
• The partnership showcases CDW's evolution from hardware reseller to managed services provider, which is the company's core strategic narrative.

3. EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP & DECISION-MAKERS

3.1 C-Suite Leadership

• Christine (Chris) Leahy - Chair & CEO since 2019. 20-year CDW veteran. Named 2025 International Executive of the Year by the Executives' Club of Chicago. Also serves on the Target Corporation board of directors.
• Liz Connelly - Chief Commercial Officer (appointed 2024/2025), responsible for U.S. sales, sales enablement, integrated technology solutions, and digital velocity.
• Chris Corley - President, International and Vice Chair. Previously Chief Commercial and Operating Officer, transitioned to international role in advance of retirement.
• Sanjay Sood - SVP & CTO
• Peter Locy - SVP, Controller & Chief Accounting Officer

3.2 Olympic Partnership Leadership

Not publicly disclosed. Given CDW's structure, the partnership likely sits within the sales and marketing organization reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer.

3.3 Board Members with Relevant Experience

Chris Leahy's board seat at Target Corporation connects CDW to large-scale retail and consumer operations experience. Additional board member profiles with sports or entertainment relevance are not publicly detailed.

4. AGENCY & CREATIVE PARTNERS

4.1 Agency Model

CDW works with Ogilvy as its primary creative and media agency partner.

4.2 Known Agency/Partner Relationships

• Ogilvy Chicago - Creative agency, media agency, and overall agency partner. Handles CDW's brand campaigns including the "Make Amazing Happen" platform.
• CDW has also partnered with technology brands (Cisco, Dell, HP, Lenovo) for co-branded marketing featuring customer stories.

4.3 Notable Creative Executions

• "Make Amazing Happen" Campaign (2023-present): CDW's primary brand platform, brought to life across digital, broadcast, online, social, and events. TV spots showcase actual customer stories highlighting outcomes enabled by CDW and its technology partners.
• Advertising Scale: Under $100 million annually across digital, print, and national TV, covering 250+ media properties.

5. COMPETITIVE POSITIONING

5.1 Market Share & Competitive Landscape

CDW is the largest pure-play IT solutions provider in the U.S. ($22.4 billion 2025 revenue):

• Direct Competitors: SHI International, Insight Enterprises, Connection (PC Connection). CDW is significantly larger than all three. None hold Olympic or comparable global sports sponsorships.
• Adjacent Competitors: Accenture, IBM, and large IT services firms compete in managed services but operate at a different scale and model.
• Market Position: CDW serves 250,000+ customers across commercial, public sector, and international segments. The company has evolved from IT reseller to "technology orchestrator" providing full-stack solutions.

Cross-Sponsor Technology Dynamics: CDW's LA28 role as IT equipment services provider creates operational intersections with Cisco (networking infrastructure), Snowflake (data platform), Google (cloud and AI), and Samsung (devices). CDW functions as the procurement and deployment layer that connects these technology partners' products to Games venues.

5.2 Olympic Sponsorship Differentiation

CDW is the exclusive IT equipment services provider for LA28. The partnership is operational rather than purely promotional: CDW's technology will literally run the Games' IT infrastructure.

5.3 Key Brand Messaging

• "Make Amazing Happen" brand platform
• Technology orchestration across full lifecycle
• From IT reseller to strategic technology partner
• Enabling digital transformation for organizations of all sizes

6. KEY METRICS & BUSINESS CONTEXT

6.1 Financial Performance

CDW is a publicly traded Fortune 200 company (NASDAQ: CDW):

• Full Year 2025: Net sales of $22.42 billion, up 6.8% over 2024.
• Gross Profit (2025): $4.87 billion, up 5.9% YoY. Gross margin of 21.7%.
• Public Sector: Net sales of $8.54 billion, up 4.6%, driven by healthcare (+13.3%) and government (+4.1%) customers.
• International: UK and Canadian operations net sales of $2.72 billion, up 9.7%.
• Full Year 2024: Net sales of $21.0 billion.

6.2 Olympic Period Performance

Not yet applicable. The partnership was announced in June 2025 and will be most visible during the 2028 Games. No Olympic-specific revenue or brand impact metrics have been disclosed.

APPENDIX: KEY SOURCES

Official Sources

• LA28 Official Newsroom: la28.org/en/newsroom
• CDW LA28 Partnership Page: cdw.com/content/cdw/en/about/overview/la28.html
• CDW Newsroom: cdw.com/content/cdw/en/newsroom
• CDW Investor Relations: investor.cdw.com

Industry Analysis

• GovTech: CDW LA28 partnership coverage
• Santa Monica Daily Press: LA28 partnership roundup

Financial Filings

• CDW Q4 and Full Year 2025 Earnings (February 2026)
• CDW Q3 2025 Earnings Report
• CDW Annual Reports via investor.cdw.com

End of Research Brief