EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Deloitte joined the International Olympic Committee's TOP (The Olympic Partner) Programme in April 2022, signing a decade-long partnership covering five consecutive Games editions: Paris 2024, Milano Cortina 2026, Los Angeles 2028, the French Alps 2030, and Brisbane 2032. The partnership makes Deloitte the first management consulting firm to hold a TOP-tier Olympic sponsorship.
The deal positions Deloitte as the IOC's Worldwide Management Consulting Partner and, starting with Milano Cortina 2026, as Games Technology Integration Partner. Deloitte also holds domestic partnerships with both Team USA and the LA28 Organizing Committee, serving as the official professional services partner for the Los Angeles Games. Financial terms have not been disclosed, but the scope (consulting services plus technology integration across five Games) suggests substantial value in both cash and services-in-kind.
For LA28, Deloitte's role is uniquely operational. Beyond brand exposure, the firm is embedded in Games delivery: supporting the technology backbone, digital transformation, fan experience personalization, and the organizing committee's strategic operations. This positions Deloitte less as a traditional sponsor and more as a delivery partner with sponsorship rights.
1. OLYMPIC HISTORY & MARKETING PRESENCE
1.1 Partnership Timeline & Evolution
Deloitte's Olympic involvement is relatively recent compared to legacy TOP Partners. The firm had no formal Olympic sponsorship history prior to 2022, though it has long worked with major sporting organizations and events through its consulting practices.
Paris 2024 - First activation under the TOP partnership - Served as Worldwide Management Consulting Partner to the IOC - Supported the IOC's efforts to reach new fans and deliver sustainability objectives - Launched "Team Deloitte," an inaugural roster of sponsored athletes competing at Paris 2024 - Team Deloitte athletes were drawn from multiple countries and sports, reflecting Deloitte's global footprint
Milano Cortina 2026 - First Olympic Games as Worldwide Technology Integration Partner, marking a shift from advisory to operational delivery - Technology Operations Centre (TOC): Described by IOC President as the "technological heart" of the Games. Approximately 100 Deloitte specialists and 300 technicians from the organizing committee and technology partners work in the TOC, where humans and machines coordinate to keep systems and data connected, secure, and running. - Delivering Games-critical applications and technology integration services managed centrally and at venues - Deloitte Italia also serving as a domestic Partner for Professional Services to the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee (Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026) - Supporting areas including Games strategy, operations, marketing, commercial solutions, and innovation - Olympic AI Agenda: Advising the IOC on artificial intelligence strategy to enhance human potential, broaden access to sport, and improve fan engagement - Olympic Fan Data Platform: Applying consulting experience to enhance the IOC's digital ecosystem and personalized fan experiences - #TheFirstEffect campaign: Tracks the impact of firsts at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, showcasing innovations that have enabled new breakthroughs in sport, technology, and athlete achievement - Cybersecurity: Milano Cortina 2026 declared itself ready for AI-powered cyberattacks, with Deloitte's technology integration role encompassing security operations
1.2 Signature Programs
Team Deloitte: Athlete sponsorship program launched for Paris 2024, featuring a roster of 19 Deloitte professionals who are also elite athletes, plus a small cohort of Deloitte-sponsored athletes. The inaugural roster included 12 Olympians and four Paralympians from 14 countries across 15 sports. Named athletes include: - Félix Denayer (Belgium, Hockey) - Olympic gold medalist at Tokyo 2020, silver at Rio 2016 - Alexander Purnell (Australia, Rowing) - Olympic gold medalist at Tokyo 2020 in the coxless four - Abe Wiersma (Netherlands, Rowing) - Olympic gold medalist at Tokyo 2020 in quadruple sculls, 2019 world champion - Curtis McGrath (Australia, Para Canoeing) - Paralympic champion - Pieter du Preez (South Africa, Para Cycling) - Paralympic champion
The program provides financial grants, mentoring, and career transition support, reflecting Deloitte's broader workforce development positioning. Several Team Deloitte athletes are also Deloitte employees, reinforcing the firm's message about supporting dual-career athlete-professionals.
Digital Transformation Advisory: Core to the partnership is Deloitte's role advising the IOC on its digital strategy, including personalized fan experiences, enhanced digital services, and extending Olympic engagement between Games editions. This aligns with the IOC's Olympic Agenda 2020+5 strategic roadmap.
Technology Integration: Beginning with Milano Cortina 2026, Deloitte manages the integration of venue technology systems, a highly visible operational role that distinguishes the partnership from traditional brand sponsorships.
2. LA28-SPECIFIC INITIATIVES
2.1 Announced Plans & Positioning
- Deloitte is both a TOP Partner and the domestic Professional Services Partner to the LA28 Organizing Committee, a dual role that gives it unusually deep access to Games operations
- Will support the technology backbone of the LA28 Games, focused on delivering "an innovative and technologically advanced experience for athletes, fans, and the community"
- As a TOP Partner, Deloitte holds priority access to LA28's new venue naming rights opportunities
- Strong alignment with LA28's stated goal of being the most digitally integrated Games in history
- Deloitte's US headquarters (New York, with significant West Coast presence) positions it well for deep LA28 involvement
Technology Strategy Development: Deloitte has already completed foundational technology planning for LA28. A Deloitte Greenhouse Lab, tailored specifically for LA28, helped drive consensus on the Games' technology vision. Deloitte's Tech Strategy team developed a technology vision statement LA28 uses when engaging with sponsors, and built a future-state architecture. The multiyear roadmap covers technology services across governance, integration, enterprise functions, digital engagement, sales and customer care, marketing, and advertising, including cloud, ERP, and sales platforms. Deloitte futurists shared informed viewpoints on emerging technologies expected to be widely adopted by 2028, shaping the innovation pipeline.
Technology Integration Role: Beginning with Milano Cortina 2026, Deloitte manages the integration of venue technology systems, replacing Atos (which held the technology integration role for decades). This highly visible operational role distinguishes the partnership from traditional brand sponsorships and will be further developed for LA28's 40+ competition venues across the LA metro area.
LA28 Venue Context: The Games feature a dual-venue Opening Ceremony shared between the LA Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium (announced May 2025), with SoFi reconfigured for swimming in Week 2 (38,000 capacity). LA28 will be the first Games since 1948 built entirely on existing infrastructure. Deloitte's purpose framework work for LA28 included collaborating with the organizing committee on a purpose-driven approach to the Games.
2.2 Regulatory/Market Context
Deloitte operates in a category (management consulting) with minimal regulatory friction at Games. Unlike consumer brands facing advertising restrictions or accommodation platforms navigating short-term rental laws, Deloitte's primary value exchange is services rather than consumer-facing activation. The LA28 partnership is likely to emphasize workforce, technology, and operational excellence narratives rather than consumer marketing.
3. EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP & DECISION-MAKERS
3.1 C-Suite Leadership
- Jason Girzadas: Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte US (since June 2023). Previously served as managing principal of Businesses, Global, and Strategic Services; former Global Consulting leader and member of Deloitte Global Board of Directors
- Lara Abrash: Chair of the Board, Deloitte US (since June 2023). Former Chair, Deloitte & Touche LLP
- Joe Ucuzoglu: Global CEO, Deloitte (since June 2023). Previously CEO of Deloitte US
3.2 Olympic Partnership Leadership
Not publicly disclosed. Given the consulting-intensive nature of the partnership, Olympic strategy likely sits within Deloitte's Global Clients & Markets organization, with significant involvement from Deloitte Italia leadership for Milano Cortina 2026 and Deloitte US leadership for LA28.
3.3 Board Members with Relevant Experience
Deloitte's partnership structure (private professional services firm with partner governance) differs from publicly traded sponsors. Board composition is not publicly detailed in the same way. However, Deloitte's Global Board of Directors includes partners from across the firm's member firms.
4. AGENCY & CREATIVE PARTNERS
4.1 Agency Model
Deloitte historically maintains a relatively low-profile consumer advertising presence, given that its primary audience is enterprise and government clients rather than consumers. Olympic activations are more likely to emphasize thought leadership, digital content, and experiential elements rather than traditional broadcast advertising.
4.2 Known Agency/Partner Relationships
- Deloitte has worked with various agencies for employer brand and corporate advertising campaigns
- Olympic-specific creative partners have not been publicly identified
- The firm's in-house marketing and communications teams likely handle much of the Olympic partnership content production
4.3 Notable Creative Executions
- Team Deloitte athlete content: Short-form content featuring sponsored athletes, distributed across digital channels
- Technology showcases: Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026 activations focused on demonstrating Deloitte's technology integration capabilities
- The partnership leans more toward thought leadership and operational visibility than traditional advertising creativity
5. COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
5.1 Market Share & Competitive Landscape
Deloitte is the largest professional services firm globally by revenue, having surpassed $70.5 billion in fiscal year 2025 (ended May 2025), a 4.8% increase in local currency over FY2024. It leads the Big Four (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) across audit, consulting, advisory, and tax services.
Key Competitors and Their Sports/Olympic Strategies: - PwC ($55.4 billion FY2024): No Olympic TOP partnership. PwC provides audit services to FIFA and has worked with individual sports governing bodies, but lacks a comparable global sports sponsorship platform. - EY ($51.2 billion FY2024): Has worked with individual Olympic organizing committees and national Olympic committees at lower sponsorship tiers. EY sponsors the EY Entrepreneur of the Year program and has athlete ambassador relationships but no TOP-level deal. - KPMG ($38.4 billion FY2024): No Olympic partnership. Sponsors the PGA Tour (KPMG Women's PGA Championship) and individual golf properties. - McKinsey, BCG, Bain: Strategy consultancies that compete in the advisory space but do not hold sports sponsorships at scale. - Accenture: Not Big Four but a major competitor in technology consulting. No Olympic partnership.
Deloitte's TOP status is a significant competitive differentiator in the professional services market. No other consulting or professional services firm has ever held a TOP Olympic partnership.
5.2 Olympic Sponsorship Differentiation
Deloitte's partnership is structurally distinct from most TOP sponsors: - Services-based value exchange: Deloitte provides consulting hours, technology integration, and strategic advisory as core partnership value, supplemented by cash contributions - Operational embeddedness: Unlike sponsors who primarily buy media exposure, Deloitte is woven into Games delivery - B2B audience: Primary ROI is measured in client relationship development and talent recruitment rather than consumer brand awareness - Category exclusivity: No competitor can claim Worldwide Olympic Management Consulting Partner status
5.3 Key Brand Messaging
- "Making an impact that matters" (corporate purpose)
- Partnership positioned as "partnership with purpose," leveraging business acumen to advance the Olympic Movement
- Emphasis on digital transformation, sustainability, and innovation
- LA28 messaging expected to center on technology-enabled fan experiences and operational excellence
6. KEY METRICS & BUSINESS CONTEXT
6.1 Financial Performance
- FY2025 Revenue: $70.5 billion globally (4.8% growth in local currency)
- US Revenue: $35.7 billion (FY2025)
- Headcount: 470,000 employees globally (up ~10,000 from prior year)
- AI Investment: $3 billion allocated through FY2030 for generative AI transformation
- Regional Growth: Americas led at 7.1% growth; Asia-Pacific at 4.9%
- UK Performance: First revenue decline in 15 years, notable given London's position as a major financial center
6.2 Olympic Period Performance
Given that Deloitte's Olympic partnership launched with Paris 2024, specific Olympics-related revenue metrics are not yet available. The partnership's value is primarily measured through: - Client engagement opportunities during Games periods - Technology delivery milestones - Brand awareness among enterprise decision-makers - Talent recruitment and retention impact
APPENDIX: KEY SOURCES
Official Sources
- IOC Official Partner Page: olympics.com/ioc/partners/deloitte
- Deloitte Olympic Partnership: deloitte.com/global/en/about/story/impact/ioc-partnership.html
- Deloitte Team USA Partnership: deloitte.com/teamusa
- LA28 Official Partners: la28.org/en/our-partners.html
Industry Analysis
- Inside The Games: Deloitte TOP sponsorship coverage
- SportsPro: IOC partnership reporting
- Consultancy.me: Deloitte IOC partnership analysis
Financial Filings
- Deloitte FY2025 Global Revenue Report
- Deloitte US Facts & Figures 2025
End of Research Brief