M & A
Building at every level: Events M & A in H1 2026
By John McGovern, CEO / owner Grimes McGovern & Associates
he first half of 2026 has
T made it clear that events M & A isn’ t slowing down. In fact, we are seeing ample activity split into distinct tracks. From notable platform deals to niche bolt-ons and a buyer mix including both PE and strategic acquirers, events M & A activity is happening at every level. 2026 H1 featured 43 notable events deals, roughly the same( 44) as this period in 2025. While not an increase, the capital flowing into the industry tells a positive story.
While strategic acquirers featured in more than half of the deals, PE-backed deals accounted for a large share of deal value. Apollo Global Management acquired Emerald Holding – at a deal size of $ 1.5bn – and Questex, with the intention of combining the two businesses into a leading North American B2B Events( and Media) platform. The combined company will be led by Questex CEO Paul Miller. Searchlight Capital Partners invested in CloserStill Media, alongside existing backer Providence Equity Partners. A month later, in June, Searchlight and Providence sold Hyve Group to Hellman and Friedman in a deal reported to be around $ 1.8bn.
These deals signal PE’ s high confidence in the industry, but also in a strategy of consolidating data and relationships and integrating operations. Hyve has already made a bolt-on acquisition after their own sale – LegalTechTalk, a London-based legal tech event with a Miami launch planned for 2027. Interestingly, Apollo took Emerald private. Before the sale to Apollo, Emerald was a public company but with majority ownership held by PE firm Onex Partners. Alongside the larger context of PE-to-PE deals, these facts only solidify the thesis that sophisticated investors see these already very large platforms poised for another stage of growth.
Platform deals only tell part of the story, however. For every platform transaction, there are multiple smaller bolt-on deals – established PE-backed buyers like Easyfairs and Marketplace Events making smaller moves. Easyfairs has been especially active making three acquisitions in the period. The investments have been in hospitality and retail tech and they recently acquired full ownership of Nordic Live Expo, a Swedish organiser running a portfolio of events spanning technology to energy.
Strategic buyers ran their own consolidation – adding specialised events, often across geographies. Italian Exhibition Group invested in NIS Summit, a Brazilian business and innovation platform for the functional ingredients, health and
Above: John McGovern
supplement market. Diversified added the Workspace Design Show, a leading event held in London and Amsterdam that brings together architects, designers, brands, occupiers, and innovators. UK-based Terrapinn acquired The Future of Memory and Storage, a highly respected US-based event and technical community serving engineers and executives in the computing sector.
In May, Messe Stuttgart acquired the Cable & Wire Fair in India, adding to its existing logistics and industrial portfolio. It is worth noting that Messe Düsseldorf already organises Wire, a leading global trade fair based in Düsseldorf – along with a dedicated Indian event in the wire and cable sector. While the Messes are siloed in Germany, this is a case of some healthy competition in an emerging market.
In conclusion, despite the flat deal count compared to last year, H1 2026 shows an events market progressing on multiple fronts. Billion-dollar platform deals, a steady stream of bolt-ons and strategic consolidation all demonstrate confidence and ambition in the industry. EW
n Grimes, McGovern & Associates is a leading lower middle-market Mergers & Acquisitions firm advising media, events, and information services businesses globally. www. exhibitionworld. co. uk Issue 4 2026 11