Informa To Acquire Clarion Events In £2.24bn Deal

Informa has agreed to acquire Clarion Events from Blackstone in a £2.24bn transaction that will expand the group’s international B2B events business.

The deal, announced on Tuesday, is expected to complete during Q4 2026 and values Clarion at approximately 11.1 times its projected 2027 EBITDA.

Informa highlighted Clarion’s WorldGaming division as one of the businesses that will strengthen its position in specialist markets. WorldGaming operates a portfolio that includes ICE and iGB L!VE.

Clarion is expected to generate more than £575m ($761.6m) in revenue during 2027, with its wider portfolio spanning sectors including gaming, defence and electronics.

Blackstone acquired Clarion from Providence Equity Partners in 2017 and retained ownership of the events business throughout the Covid-19 period.

WorldGaming To Join Informa Portfolio

Informa CEO Stephen Carter said the acquisition supports the company’s strategy of building its position in international B2B live events.

The transaction will take place alongside plans to spin out Informa’s academic publishing business, Taylor & Francis.

“That will leave the Informa Group pursuing the strategy that we first laid out in 2013 to build a position in B2B live events and become the leading, the largest and the most international live events business anywhere in the world,” Carter said.

“The addition of the Clarion company will give further oxygen and capability to our existing portfolio.”

Carter identified gaming as one of the sectors where Clarion brings an established market position.

“The combination will underscore Informa as the UK-listed, international leader in B2B Live Events, with annual group revenues exceeding $6 billion and underlying revenue growth of 7%,” he added.

Alex Pratt, managing director of Clarion’s WorldGaming business, said:

“Informa’s data, digital capability and international reach are exactly what our live and digital ecosystem needs to go further, faster.”

Combined Events Business To Generate More Than £4.2bn

Following completion, Informa expects its B2B live events operation to generate more than £4.2bn in annual revenue across approximately 1,000 specialist brands.

The company said Clarion would complement its existing geographical presence across North America, Asia and Europe, while presenting further expansion opportunities across India, the Middle East and Africa.

“The addition of Clarion will reinforce Informa’s leading position in B2B Live Events, adding world-class brands in attractive growth categories,” Informa said.

“The complementary portfolios and benefits of combining Clarion’s brands into Informa’s growth platform will create significant opportunities for incremental revenues, establishing the enlarged B2B Live Events business as a 7%+ underlying growth operator.”

Informa expects approximately £50m in annual run-rate operating synergies from the transaction, including efficiencies across procurement, operations, shared services, event delivery and corporate functions.

The group is also targeting an additional £25m in annual operating profit from revenue opportunities generated by the combination by 2029.

Lisa Hannant To Remain Clarion CEO

Clarion Events CEO Lisa Hannant will remain in her position following the acquisition and will join Informa’s executive leadership team.

“This marks an important new chapter for our business. We have built a portfolio of market-leading brands, established strong positions in attractive markets and created a culture that is recognised across our industry,” Hannant said.

“Informa’s decision to invest in Clarion is a recognition of the quality of our business, our brands and our people. This is a moment to recognise the outstanding contribution of our teams. Their passion, expertise and commitment have helped build the successful business that Informa is investing in today.”

Informa Outlines Acquisition Funding

The £2.24bn acquisition will be completed in cash, funded through dedicated acquisition financing and approximately £940m in net proceeds from an equity placing and retail offer.

Informa will also pause its existing share buyback programme as part of the financing arrangements.

The company expects pro forma net debt to remain below three times EBITDA at the end of 2026 before declining to below 2.5 times by the end of 2027.

Informa expects the acquisition to deliver a mid-single-digit percentage increase in adjusted diluted earnings per share in 2027 and a double-digit post-tax return on invested capital within three years.