Ketchum Sports & Entertainment Partner & President Ann Wool today confirmed that the Rome '24 Olympic bid committee has awarded a global PR contract to the firm. The work will be led from the N.Y.-based firm’s Milan office and be overseen by Business Dir Alessandra De Martino, Wool said. Ketchum will be tasked with developing the bid’s message to worldwide media and strategy for building global support. KSE is putting its “full support” into the bid with a network of offices and affiliates worldwide, Wool added. Rome had been without an external PR consultant since it cut ties with the U.K. firm Milltown Partners earlier this year. The addition comes as the Rome bid awaits the result of Sunday’s mayoral runoff election, which Virginia Raggi, who has criticized the bid, is favored to win. Raggi softened her position in an interview last week, but her election could lead to a public referendum that would jeopardize the bid. Rome is competing with L.A., Paris and Budapest to host the '24 Games. A vote will come in September '17. Ketchum’s hiring was first reported by Around the Rings.
