Informa is acquiring rival events company Clarion as it concentrates on business-to-business trade shows.
Informa has agreed to acquire UK-based events company Clarion for £2.2 billion, expanding a portfolio of more than 1,000 trade shows. The transaction is part of a strategy to focus more heavily on business-to-business events.
Clarion operates events across sectors and regions that fit Informa's expansion plans, particularly in India, the Middle East and Africa.
The deal is being funded in part through a £940 million share issue. Events already account for the majority of Informa's income.
Informa is also reviewing the future of its academic publishing arm Taylor & Francis, which could eventually be sold or separated.
The acquisition adds to consolidation in the global trade-show industry as organizers seek scale and access to faster-growing markets.
People Sentiments Positive
- Informa expects stronger scale in trade shows.
- The deal supports expansion in high-growth regions.