Ric Birch

He was hired as Executive Producer for the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but in 2016 it was found that he had left the project due to budget cuts.

In 2009, he worked as an Advisor on the 2009 Hong Kong East Asian Games Opening and Closing ceremonies. In 2010 he participated in the planning of celebrations to commemorate 200th anniversary of the 'Grito de Dolores' – Hidalgo's call for independence – and the beginning of the Mexican war for independence from Spain. The ceremony took place on 15 September 2010. In the same year, he helped stage the Delhi Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing ceremonies, but the working relationship broke down between Birch (and other contractors), and the game organizers by the end of those games. He was not paid in full.

Birch was also director and producer of Sydney New Year's Eve between 1996 and 1999. His last event was NYE 1999, where in the finale light effect on the Sydney Harbour Bridge revealed the word 'Eternity' in Copperplate writing, in honour of Arthur Stace. This scene was then replicated with fireworks in the Sydney 2000 Olympics opening ceremony.

In 1990, Birch worked as Director on the 25th Anniversary Singapore National Day Parade.

Birch studied a combined Arts and Law degree at Melbourne University in 1962, with the aim of becoming a lawyer. But, through volunteering backstage at the Universities annual Arts Revue, he made the change to theatrical production. He got his first job at ABC Television in Melbourne. He became a freelance director in the late 1970s, before getting his start in event production as the Executive Director of the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the Brisbane 1982 Commonwealth Games. He later went on to be Director of Entertainment at World Expo 88 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, during the Australian Bicentenary year.