Exhibition News May 2019 | Page 11

M&A associated print titles and over 90 educational live events worldwide. The most recent EBITDA of Last Word was £1.1m so the initial price represents a headline multiple of 7.3x with some further growth-based consideration to come. The domination of the India M&A scene by the German Messes continues with the news that Nürnbergmesse has acquired India Mattresstech expo, the trade fair for mattress and upholstery manufacturing, from Unitech exhibitions. In 2020 the show will be co-located with Indiawood in Bangalore which, along with Delhiwood and Mumbaiwood, were acquired by Nürnbergmesse last year marking their entry into the Indian woodworking and furniture production sectors. In Ireland, the Dublin-based Sunday Business Post has acquired iQuest, a company organising 14 conferences and summits covering business, construction, banking and finance, IT and property. In Australia, Terrapinn has acquired Accounting Business Expo and Accountech Live from National Media adding to their existing portfolio of accounting shows in the USA, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Africa. US home show organiser Marketplace Events has made another acquisition but this time it’s not another home show but a first move into the bridal sector. The acquisition of the Arizona Bridal Shows which run twice each year in Phoenix, Arizona is the 10th transaction since Sentinel Capital Partners acquired the company in 2016. An interesting move from Informa who have launched Informa Ventures, a capital fund that will make early stage investments (seed and series A) in start-ups in the business information arena focussing on content, intelligence and connections. They will back entrepreneurs with capital, access to markets, mentorship and expertise. This is firmly aimed at their Knowledge and Networking business but if this becomes a success I wonder if they will extend the idea to their global exhibitions division. I have mentioned recently that M&A transactions hit an all-time high in 2018 in terms of the number of transactions, their overall value and the number of buyers. The activity shows no sign of slowing down – in fact the number of companies approaching Mayfield for advice on selling their business has increased sharply in the first quarter of 2019. Several of these companies are still quite a way from being ready to sell and maximise the value for their founders so we are running the first in a series of seminars aimed at entrepreneurs who plan to sell their business in the future. You can read about it on the right – we’re looking forward to welcoming you. ‘M&A the right way’ – A free-to-attend seminar for independent organisers Preparing your business for sale starts long before it’s taken to market. Getting it right helps you attract the best buyers and secure the best price. Mayfield Merger Strategies – specialist broker in M&A for exhibitions, conferences and events, Lee and Thompson – M&A lawyers for the creative industries – and Mash Media are inviting independent organisers to hear from the experts about how to ensure you are on-track for a successful sale. The event will cover: • Understanding today’s M&A market and the acquisition process – MMS • Key legal issues to consider in preparing your company for a sale – Malcolm Murray, Lee and Thompson LLC • Commercial Due Diligence best practice - Jonny Baynes, Plural Strategy • What makes a business an attractive target? – Sam Jennings, Clarion Events • The Private Equity approach – Kevin Keck, Phoenix Equity FREE-TO-ATTEND BY REGISTRATION ONLY Where: The Soho Hotel, 4 Richmond Mews, London, W1D 3 DH When: Tuesday 4 June 2019 4-6pm, followed by networking drinks with representatives of the main buyers Register now: Limited spaces for shareholders and directors of independent organisers only (maximum 2 per company) Reserve your space now by emailing [email protected] May — 11