DEALMAKERS
Buyer Business Country Sector
CloserStill Media |
Open Room Events |
UK |
Healthcare & Retail |
Open Room delivers one to one events around the world linking C-level end-users with suppliers in the dental , pharmacy , eye care and retail sectors . The three healthcare sectors mirror a core part of CloserStill ’ s portfolio
CloserStill Media CommerceNext USA Ecommerce
U . S organiser of Ecommerce conferences and events including The Ecommerce Growth Show . CloserStill has existing involvement in the e-commerce sector having acquired UK event eCommerce Expo along with Technology for Marketing in 2017 from UBM .
Emerald |
Lodestone Events |
USA |
Adventure Travel |
US-based exhibition organiser Emerald has made its first foray into consumer shows ( now a formal part of their strategy ) with the acquisition of Lodestone Events , producers of the Overland Expo series of vehicle-based , adventure travel consumer shows .
Brunico Communications
NATPE USA TV
National Association of Television Programming Executives ( NATPE ) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy towards the end of 2022 .
Nineteen Group |
Lone Worker Safety Live |
UK |
Safety |
Long term partnership turned acquisition co-located alongside their Health and Safety Event
PCMA |
EMA |
UK |
Event |
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|
Association |
or 1-2-1 is the end result of this development work , not the starting point . In order to achieve a decent valuation for a business , the founders need to have had time to create both genuine intellectual property and deep relationships with the key players in the sector . Otherwise , there is no reason for someone to buy it . Too early stage , and buyers who have experience in the sector would rather launch than acquire .
What ’ s been happening so far in 2023 ? The biggest news came in a trading update by Ascential along with the results of their strategic review . Now that their events business , primarily
Following the Professional Convention Management Association ( PCMA ) takeover of the Corporate Event Marketing Association ( CEMA ) in 2020 , they have now taken over the Event Marketing Association ( EMA ) based in the UK
William Reed Retail Week / World Retail Congress
Cannes Lions and Money 2020 are back to a full schedule , the strategic plan is to sell off WGSN , their trend forecasting business and then split the rest of the business into a US listed company that will own the digital commerce business with the remaining business , Ascential Events , continuing under a UK plc listing . The sale of Retail Week and World Retail Congress to William Reed just prior to the announcement cleared out smaller events that could be a distraction .
UK
Retail
The announcement has created a buzz among private equity firms who have viewed Lions and Money 2020 as prime events to own and , although the overall re-organisation will take some time and needs shareholder approval , Ascential should be inundated with PE interest as an alternative to continuing along the plc route . EN
Read Steve Monnington ’ s round-up of the M & A activity for 2022 at exhibitionnews . net .
Spring — 13