Lausanne, Switzerland  - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday announced that Briton Mark Adams has been appointed Director of Communications.

The 45-year-old, who is joining the Olympic body from the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, where he was Managing Director and Head of Media and Communications, will be taking over his new position at the end of May.

In a statement the IOC said that the former journalist worked for several television stations before joining the World Economic Forum.

IOC president Jacques Rogge welcomed Adams to the IOC team. "Mark comes with strong media experience and a good understanding of the communications challenges facing big organisations such as the IOC.

"His expertise and creativity in finding innovative ways to reach out to young people will be a strong asset. We are looking forward to having him on board in June."

Adams said he was looking forward to working for the IOC. "The IOC is one of a handful of truly world class organisations with a powerful global influence.

"It has the ability to be a force for good across a whole range of issues and to reach into the lives of millions of people worldwide. To be part of such an organisation will be a huge privilege.

"To maintain the IOC's relevance and to make sure the ideals of the organization are truly understood around the world and with all age groups is a truly exciting challenge."

Adams takes over as the head of the IOC communications department from Giselle Davies, who left the IOC at the end of last year for personal reasons. (dpa)