Paris 2024 chief executive Etienne Thobois is due to speak at the Host City conference ©Getty Images

A stellar line-up of sporting leaders within worldwide governing bodies and Organising Committees as well as members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are set to speak at this year’s Host City conference.

Hosted online from Glasgow in Scotland, the free-to-register event is scheduled to take place tomorrow and Wednesday (December 8).

Sir Craig Reedie, honorary member of the IOC, Paul Bush, director of events for VisitScotland, and Bridget McConnell, chief executive for Glasgow Life, are due to deliver welcome addresses across the two days.

World Athletics President Lord Sebastian Coe is set to give a keynote address on the hosting of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and future trends in major events.

A presentation, called "Paris 2024 Games: a new model bringing people around sustainable Games with creativity", is expected to be delivered by Paris 2024 chief executive Etienne Thobois, while his Milan Cortina 2026 counterpart Vincenzo Novari is set to provide an update on preparations for the Games.

Octavian Morariu, chair of the IOC Future Host Commission for Olympic Winter Games and Rugby Europe President, and Katie Sadleir, the new chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), are also on the agenda to speak.

Question and answer sessions are planned to be held at this year’s Host City event with participation from IOC Executive Board member Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski and IOC member Anita DeFrantz, a Los Angeles 2028 Board member, as well as a series of panel discussions.

IOC Member Dagmawit Girmay Berhane, Andrew Ryan, executive director for Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, Paul Foster, chief executive of the Global Esports Federation and Jon Dutton, chief executive of the Rugby League World Cup 2021 are due to consider "How has the pandemic changed the events sector?".

Sam Ramsamy, vice-president of the International Swimming Federation, International Paralympic Committee Governing Board member Rita van Driel, Brendan Williams, chief of the CGF Athletes Advisory Commission, and David Grevemberg, chief innovation and partnerships officers for Centre for Sport and Human Rights, are set to discuss "Diversity and integrity in leadership".

Other guest speakers include Shiny Fang, secretary general for the International Modern Pentathlon Union, Clare Briegal, chief executive of World Netball, Jason Ferguson, chairman of World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association and Sarah Lewis, long-time former secretary general of the International Ski Federation.

Katie Sadleir, the new chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, is expected to speak at the online conference ©Getty Images
Katie Sadleir, the new chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, is expected to speak at the online conference ©Getty Images

Around 1,000 people from 60 countries attended last year’s Host City event and organisers expected this week’s conference to exceed expectations.

"As a proud supporter of Host City, we’re delighted to welcome the event back to Glasgow for the seventh year in a row," said McConnell.

"We look forward to working with the Host City team once again in just a few weeks’ time to ensure that 2021’s event is even bigger and better than previous iterations, and to share best practice with our colleagues across the world as we all work to create the best possible future for events."

Thobois added: "I am very pleased to be invited to speak once again at the Host City conference, to share with inspiring personalities my experience of organising the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the biggest sporting event on the planet.

"In a world of rapid changes and high expectations from citizens, we must succeed in organising an event that is both spectacular and sustainable, that monitor its impact while leaving a positive legacy on society.

"To achieve this, at Paris 2024, we have one watchword: creativity."