Imagine the scale: 214 nations participating, 10,700 athletes competing, 20,000 accredited journalists reporting, and 4 billion viewers tuning in from around the world. An astounding 60 percent of the world's population will watch at least part of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing between August 8 and 24.

No other spectacle inspires so many people from such diverse backgrounds, cutting across demographic measures such as age, gender, race, religion, culture, education and economic level.

With just three months until Opening Ceremony, The LINK takes readers behind-the-scenes to the Beijing Olympics. There, four CEIBS alumni who are among the key decision-makers for The Games give a backstage tour of the preparations underway, and share their insider's insight into the implications of China hosting its first Olympic Games.

MANAGER OF MILLIONS: LIU JIAN(EMBA 2002), COORDINATOR,BEIJING OLYMPICS VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME


MR UNCONVENTIONAL: ZHAO XIAOJUN(EMBA 2005), DESIGNER OF THE NATIONAL AQUATIC CENTRE


ENTERTAINMENT ENVOY: YANG LAN (CEO PROGRAMME 2004), OLYMPICS BOODWILL AMBASSADOR


ATHLETICS AMBASSADOR: YAO YINGJIA (EMBA 2004), DESIGNER OF THE OLYMPIC TORCH