TCS becomes official tech partner of Amsterdam Marathon

Mumbai, Aug 26: The country's top outsourcing firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) said on Fridat that it has become the official technology partner of the Amsterdam Marathon for a period of five years, from 2011 to 2015.

In addition to the title sponsorship, TCS will support the marathon by providing technology services and has set up a special purpose team to look at enhancing the performance and experience of the sport, TCS said in a statement.

"This sponsorship will further strengthen the relationship between the city and TCS, therefore we look forward to the new TCS Amsterdam Marathon," the Mayor of the city of Amsterdam, Eberhard van der Laan, said.

Started in 1975, this event is one of Europe's leading marathons and is expected to have 33,000 participants from 80 countries. This year, the marathon is being held on October 16, 2011.

"The TCS Amsterdam Marathon (as it will now be known) has grown from being an intimate event in earlier years to a global one. We are pleased to have Tata Consultancy Services as our strategic partner as we look to expand the event and also deepen our use of technology," Simone Richardson, the Director of Stichting Sportevenementen Le Champion (the entity that organises the event), said.

TCS' significant portfolio of sports partnerships includes tie-ups with Formula-1 racing team Ferrari, pro-cycling team Garmin-Cervlo and several marathons in major cities worldwide, including Bangalore, Boston, Chicago, Mumbai and New York.

"Given our significant and growing presence in major markets such as the US, UK and Europe, we always looking at ways to engage with and give back to the communities we work in," TCS President - North America, UK and Europe Surya Kant said.

TCS has been operating in the Netherlands since 1992. The company operates a head office in Amsterdam, a global delivery center in Eindhoven and has over 2,000 experts catering to leading companies such as KLM, ABN AMRO, Rabobank and the ING Group.

PTI