The meeting, which regularly draws many of the world's foremost business and economic power-brokers, is to be attended by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, along with Mehriban Aliyeva, the country's First Lady and chair of Baku 2015.

President Aliyev, who is also President of Azerbaijan's National Olympic Committee, and European Olympic Committees (EOC) President Patrick Hickey are to address an audience of several hundred at a dinner hosted by the Baku 2015 Organising Committee at the InterContinental Davos, insidethegames understands.

European Olympic Committee President Patrick Hickey is also due to speak ©Getty Images




An exhibition devoted to the inaugural European Games, which will take place in June, has already opened at the same hotel.

The Games, which commence with an Opening Ceremony on June 12, will comprise 17 days of competition involving upwards of 6,000 athletes.

With fewer than 150 days remaining before this groundbreaking event for European sport gets under way, preparations appear to be proceeding at an impressive pace: drinks giant Coca-Cola was unveiled last week as an official partner; the final visit to Baku of the EOC Coordination Commission will come next month.