Press

London: Informa (LSE: INF.L), the International Exhibitions, Events, Information Services and Scholarly Research Group, today published its financial results for the 12 months to 31 December 2018, reporting a further period of operational progress and improving financial performance.

Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive, said: “In 2018, the Informa Group delivered a fifth consecutive year of improving growth, increasing adjusted profits, adjusted earnings per share, cashflow and dividends.”

He added: “In 2019, our focus is on continuing Performance and Growth as we consolidate our market positions and further reduce complexity. This will enable us to make the most of our increased operating scale and industry specialisation, creating attractive opportunities for incremental growth and returns.” 

Read the full statement

SINGAPORE, March 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Maritime and technology leaders at the Sea Asia 2019 preview panel discussion today highlighted the significant role of start-up companies, particularly those in the technology sector, in bringing the maritime industry into the digital age and creating growth opportunities driven by innovation.

Speaking ahead of the Sea Asia conference and exhibition in April, the leaders also brought to light the benefits that the maritime industry have enjoyed thus far as a result of the creativity and 'out-of-the-box' thinking displayed by start-up companies.

Mr Kenneth Lim, Chief Technology Officer at the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), shared how there are many compelling reasons to focus on start-ups in maritime, with start-ups presenting a push for existing maritime companies to look at new ways of doing things.

"Many companies in the maritime industry are already looking at ways to transform themselves. Start-ups challenge these companies to think differently – they ask questions around why are things being done a certain way, and are there different business models that can be developed. Start-ups also provide an avenue of digitalisation to maritime companies today.

"In addition, start-ups provide the opportunity for the maritime industry to attract new talent that may come from other backgrounds such as FinTech and healthcare, who may feel that they can make a difference to the maritime industry with their solutions," said Mr Lim.

He further noted that it is important for the industry to then provide the best environment for start-ups to develop. Initiatives such as PIER71 and the Sea Asia Innovation Arena are key in the development of start-ups in maritime.  

Speaking on behalf of the shipping industry, Mr Esben Poulsson, Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping; President of the Singapore Shipping Association; and Chairman of Enesel Pte Ltd shared that start-ups are key elements of change in the maritime industry today.

"Things are changing faster in this industry than ever before. The industry has made promises particularly around the environment that will force it to move quickly and start-ups are increasingly playing a larger role in helping the industry meet these promises given the emphasis they put on innovation," noted Mr Poulsson, adding that it is also encouraging how start-ups are bringing younger generation of workers into the industry.

Speaking on behalf of the maritime start-up community, Mr John Hahn, CEO and co-founder of Ocean Freight Exchange (OFE) shared that with his experiences being in the industry, he understood the "pain points" that industry players are facing.

"This then sparked the idea of developing a solution that will reduce the waiting time for bunker tankers and at the same time, increase their number of turns.

"Our solution, Right Bunker, a web-based scheduler bunker delivery optimisation system aims to solve that problem. We also saw that the solution fit really well with one of the problem statements by PIER71 and hence, participated in the Smart Port Challenge 2018," said Mr Hahn, whose company went on to win the challenge.

Representing Wilhelmsen Ships Service, Mr Marius Johansen, Vice President, Commercial (Ships Agency), noted how the company understands the need for innovation in the industry and that support of start-ups is equally key.

"Innovation is absolutely fundamental to our company and in our vision to become a 'shaper' of the maritime industry, we acknowledge that we need to work closely with start-up companies to leverage on their innovative solutions and ideas. So far, we have worked with several start-ups at various levels, providing them with financial investments and mentorship, among others.

"We also support initiatives like PIER71 and incubators as we believe that it is important for the industry and existing maritime companies to be receptive and supportive of the start-up environment," said Mr Johansen.

Editor of Seatrade Maritime News and panel moderator, Mr Marcus Hand, highlighted that in line with the theme of the day's discussion, this year's edition of Sea Asia will feature a dedicated pavilion for start-up companies.

Featured for the first time at Sea Asia, and sponsored by Wilhelmsen Ships Service and Panasonic R&D Center Singapore, the Innovation Arena provides a platform for start-up companies, winners and participants of the Smart Port Challenge 2018, to showcase their creative and innovative solutions for the maritime industry (see Appendix 1 for profiles).

Mr Hand adds, "This year's edition of Sea Asia will also explore the upcoming challenges and opportunities facing the maritime industry at a time when digitalisation is on the rise and new regulations come into force.

"We look forward to Sea Asia 2019 providing an international platform for maritime leaders to come together to discuss and debate how the industry can prepare itself for upcoming changes and trends."  

Jointly organised by UBM (Seatrade) and the Singapore Maritime Foundation, Sea Asia 2019 will take place in Singapore from 9 - 11 April 2019 at the Marina Bay Sands®. 

Notes to Editors

About UBM

Sea Asia is organised by UBM, which in June 2018 combined with Informa PLC to become a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organiser in the world. Please visit www.ubm.com/singaporeundefined for more information about our presence in Singapore.

About Singapore Maritime Foundation

Established in 2004, the Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) is a private sector-led organisation that seeks to develop and promote Singapore as an International Maritime Centre (IMC). As the representative voice for the commercial players of the maritime industry, SMF seeks to forge strong partnerships with the public and private sectors of the maritime industry. SMF spearheads initiatives to promote the diverse clusters of the maritime industry in Singapore and at international frontiers, and to attract young talents to join the sector. SMF is directed by its Board of Directors which comprises prominent leaders in the Singapore maritime community.

For details, visit www.smf.com.sg

Sea Asia 2019 is held in conjunction with the Singapore Maritime Week 2019 (SMW). SMW is the leading maritime event in Singapore driven by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. SMW gathers the international maritime community in Singapore for a week of conferences, dialogues, exhibitions and social events in celebration of all things maritime. These events reflect the vibrancy and diversity of Singapore as a major international maritime centre.

About the Singapore Maritime Week 2019 (6 - 12 April 2019)

Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) is one of the world's leading maritime shows and is organised annually and driven by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). Every year, SMW gathers the international maritime community for a week of flagship conferences, dialogues, exhibitions and social events in celebration of all things maritime. The range of activities and events organised by MPA, industry stakeholders and research and educational institutions, as well as the cosmopolitan profile of participants, reflects the vibrancy and diversity of Singapore as a global hub port and leading international maritime centre.

APPENDIX 1

SEA ASIA 2019 INNOVATION ARENA -- EXHIBITOR PROFILES

Aeras Medical Pte Ltd

Aeras Medical provides end-to-end remote monitoring solutions including SaaS, leasing and purchasing of mobile gateway and automated medical devices, call center and home visits for multiple disease programmes to improve patients' health and optimise hospital resources. Similar services are now applied to manage crew health in the marine industry.

www.aerasmedical.com

Claritecs Pte Ltd

CLARITECS is a maritime solutions company leveraging on a strong foundation of maritime expertise to develop applications which empower decision makers with data-driven insights.

In its suite is "BunkerMaestro", a PIER71 award-winning SaaS platform built to provide bunker scheduling clarity and an "Auto Profiling" plug-in tool for diagnostics of mass flowmeter bunkering data.

https://claritecs.com

MapGage (MDI B.V)

MapGage provides customers' inspection teams with on site communications and data access, reducing costs, time, and optimising their operations. By empowering the field operators to provide feedback associated with location data during fieldwork, relating it to CAD and GIS data, MapGage helps their customers to become Location Intelligent.

www.mapgage.com

Ocean Freight Exchange Pte Ltd

Ocean Freight Exchange helps teams in the dry bulk and tanker ocean transportation industry to optimise their ship chartering process.

In 2015, we gathered a small group of commodity traders, chartering managers, ship brokers, and Silicon Valley computer engineers who share a passion for helping others to work smarter. We quickly grew to a team of 25 teammates and attracted investment from top venture capital firms and famous individuals.

We are industry insiders and proud to be free of any conflict of interest.

www.theofe.com

PIER71

Founded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and the National University of Singapore through its entrepreneurial arm, NUS Enterprise, PIER71 (Port Innovation Ecosystem Reimagined at BLOCK71) aims to grow Singapore's maritime innovation ecosystem. PIER71 designs and delivers programmes to uncover opportunities in the industry and supports entrepreneurs from ideation to acceleration of their ventures.

www.pier71.sg

Portcast Pte. Ltd.

Portcast uses machine leasing and AI to predict global cargo flows (i.e. how much cargo will be shipped, from where and when). Its predictive analytics platform combines data sets from economic indices, weather and geo-spatial data and helps logistics companies be more profitable with capacity optimisation and dynamic pricing.

https://portcast.io

Ship Supplies Direct Pte Ltd

Ship Supplies Direct (SSD) is a digital solutions provider in the marine supplies and logistics sector with a focus on using advanced digital technology to unlock tremendous savings, optimise logistics operations and improve visibility for all stakeholders across the supply chain.

www.shipsuppliesdirect.com

SkyLab Services Pte Ltd

SkyLab's in-house developed data transport accelerator platform (STA) is able to overcome current limitations of satellite communications whilst at sea in the provision of real-time monitoring and management of plant, equipment, crew's health, systems and communications, thus empowering the large scale adoption of IoT in the Maritime sector, resulting in actionable insights for asset optimisation and resoure management.

www.skylabteam.com

TagvanceTagvance is an end-to-end solution provider for high-precision tracking of assets and people in industrial spaces. The tracking system operates at indoor, outdoor, and confined areas. Together with the positioning data, the system also provides environmental sensor data. Tagvance helps industrial operators improve operational efficiency and work safety.

www.tagvance.com

ThreatspanThreatspan brings cyber resilience to enterprises, partners, and ecosystem players in the global shipping and maritime supply chain. Our solutions help to ensure that cybersecurity controls are continuously robust and compliant whilst enabling firms to be more competitive and resilient in the face of increasing cyber threats.

www.threatspan.com

The 18th annual award ceremony highlights people, companies, and technologies driving innovation in product design and manufacturing

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Design News, the leading industry publication for design engineers, today announced the Golden Mousetrap Award winners spanning 15 categories, including two new categories: Automotive Electronics and Best In Show. The winners were selected by members of industry, as well as the storied and experienced editors of Design News, based on the level of innovation, benefits to user, and market differentiation. The awards were presented live at the annual awards ceremony, which took place February 5, 2019, alongside Pacific Design & Manufacturing, the nation’s largest advanced design and manufacturing event. To learn more about the Golden Mousetrap Awards, please visit: goldenmousetraps.designnews.com.

The Golden Mousetrap Awards recognize companies and individuals that are not only reaching the pinnacle of achievement in their respective fields but are also pushing the envelope on what is possible within the industry as a whole. Submissions were open to all individuals and companies in the U.S. willing to showcase their latest innovative products in the advanced design and manufacturing fields. The 2019 award winners were chosen by a larger panel of judges than ever before comprised of industry experts from a wide range of disciplines, including IoT, Automotive, 3D Printing, and Materials, among others.

“The profound creativity and sophistication of this year’s Golden Mousetrap entries speaks to the deluge of digital technology innovations we are currently experiencing in the design engineering and manufacturing space,” said Jennifer Campbell, Technical Content Producer, UBM. “We are fortunate and deeply humbled to have received such an array of quality submissions. This year’s Golden Mousetrap winners stood above the rest due to their refinement in this complex space and we are excited to see how far forward our winners will continue to push the industry.”  

2019 Golden Mousetrap Award winners:

Best-In-Show
PowerSpot Power-over-Distance Wireless RF Transmitter for Over-the-Air Wireless Power - Powercast Corporation

Gadget Freak of the Year
Drew Paul

Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Lonnie Johnson

Automation & Motion Control: Controllers
Gold: Protos - Elum Inc.
Silver: OSA Remote – Bedrock Automation
Bronze: Rheem EcoNet Zoning System - Rheem Manufacturing

Automation & Motion Control: Drives
Gold: ACEINNA OpenIMU – ACEINNA 
Silver: MAXON DOOR DRIVE - Maxon Precision Motors Inc.
Bronze: Flexible Transport System – Bosch Rexroth Corporation

Automation & Motion Control: Industrial Network Technologies
Gold: VKS Software – VKS
Silver: IoT Interface for Climate Control Solutions- Rittal 
Bronze: Backplane Ethernet Extension Protocol - Turck Inc.

Automation & Motion Control: Motors and Mechanical Motion Devices
Gold: Planar Motor - Planar Motor Inc. 
Silver: AquaTerra - WTR Tech Inc.
Bronze: Zero-Backlash Spring Engaged Brake (ZSE) - NEXEN GROUP

Automation & Motion Control: Sensors, Vision Systems, Feedback Devices, & Peripherals
Gold: Vista LiDAR - Cepton Technologies Inc.
Silver: Streamline - 3D Infotech
Bronze: ProxEncoder - Joral LLC

Electronics & Test: Analog/Power Management/Control
Gold: PowerSpot Power-over-Distance Wireless RF Transmitter for Over-the-Air Wireless Power - Powercast Corporation
Silver: MAX77714 and MAX77752 - Maxim Integrated
Bronze: Renesas Electronics GaN FET Power Supply Solution - Renesas Electronics Corporation

Electronics & Test: Automotive Electronics
Gold: Simcenter software solution for Autonomous Electric Vehicles (AEVs) - Mentor, a Siemens Business
Silver: QAR - Rohde & Schwarz 
Bronze: Maxim PMICs for Automotive ADAS Functions - Maxim Integrated

Electronics & Test: Components, Hardware & Interconnects
Gold: Spotlight AR++ — 3D Infotech
Silver: FPBB Rail-Single Phase Block Filter – SCHURTER 
Bronze: PTFIX distribution blocks - Phoenix Contact USA

Electronics & Test: Embedded Computing/Processing
Gold: Helio P60 – MediaTek
Silver: RadioVerse ADRV9008/9 - Analog Devices Inc.
Bronze: MAX32558 - Maxim Integrated

Electronics & Test: IoT & Connectivity
Gold: PowerSpot Power-over-Distance Wireless RF Transmitter for Over-the-Air Wireless Power - Powercast Corporation
Silver: GAP8 IoT Application Processor - GreenWaves Technologies
Bronze: nRF52840 multiprotocol SoC - Nordic Semiconductor

Electronics & Test: Test & Measurement
Gold: Artec Leo - Artec 3D 
Silver: R&S FPC1500 Spectrum Analyzer - Rohde & Schwarz
Bronze: 6 Series MSO Mixed Signal Oscilloscope – Tektronix

Materials & Assembly: Fastening, Joining, Assembly Components & Adhesives
Gold: 3M 4077 - 3M Medical Adhesives
Silver: Solart Cilium – Innowood
Bronze: Rapid Pressurization Valve - Beswick Engineering

Follow the Golden Mousetrap Awards on Social Media with Official Hashtag: #GMTA19

About Advanced Manufacturing Expos & Conferences:

UBM's Advanced Manufacturing portfolio is the leading B-to-B event producer, publisher, and digital media business for the world's $3 trillion advanced, technology-based manufacturing industry. Our print and electronic products deliver trusted information to the advanced manufacturing market and leverages our proprietary 1.3 million name database to connect suppliers with buyers and purchase influencers. We produce more than 50 events and conferences in a dozen countries, connecting manufacturing professionals from around the globe. The Advanced Manufacturing portfolio is organized by UBM, which in June 2018 combined with Informa PLC to become a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organizer in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information, visit www.ubm.com and www.informa.com.

CONTACT: Media Contacts:

Lauren Lloyd, advmanufacturingpr@ubm.com, (310) 266-4792

Audrey Uchimoto, advmanufacturingpr@ubm.com, (310) 496-9423

Tam Nguyen, advmanufacturingpr@ubm.com, (424) 410-9797

HONG KONG, Dec. 14, 2018

Wang Lixin, Vice Mayor and member of the Party Leadership Group of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, met with Informa Global Exhibition CEO and President Charlie McCurdy and his management team in Shenzhen to discuss ways to strengthen mutual cooperation and seize new businesses opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area.

Other exhibition industry stakeholders also graced the conference, including Gao Lin, Director of Economic, Trade and Information Commission of Shenzhen Municipality; Sun Huaizhong, Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs, Office of Shenzhen Municipality; LinHanjun, Deputy General Manager of Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center; and Mao Daben, Executive Vice Premier of Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center.

According to statistics, Shenzhen's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017 reached over 22 billion yuan, ranking third in China. Among the growth drivers were four major industries: Cultural and creative, high-tech, modern logistics and finance. Key emerging strategic industries are bio-chemical, new energy and e-commerce.

By September 2018, Shenzhen's private economy and commercial subjects reached 2.9814 million, accounting for 97.65 percent, of which 1.859 million were private enterprises, accounting for 96.3 percent of the city's business sector. The contribution of private enterprises to Shenzhen's economy has significantly improved. In the first three quarters of 2018, Shenzhen achieved a GDP of 1753.069 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.1 percent. The added value of private economy accounted for 42 percent of Shenzhen's GDP during the same period. From January to October 2018, taxes paid by private enterprises reached 357 billion yuan, an increase of 7.8 percent year-on-year, accounting for 67 percent of taxes paid by enterprises in the city.

During the meeting with Informa, Wang talked about the history of Shenzhen, its major industries and the local government's overall development plan. He also emphasised the importance of the exhibition industry to private enterprises. With the support of the exhibition industry, businesses are able to explore opportunities in the global market.

Strong demand for exhibitions

Wang also underscored the robust demand for exhibitions in Shenzhen. Data from the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Centre showed that there is at least one exhibition held in Shenzhen every three days. Throughout the year, more than 120 exhibitions are held in Shenzhen, creating pressure on the existing convention and exhibition centre.

Hence, a new Shenzhen International Convention & Exhibition Center is being built to become the largest exhibition venue in the world. When completed, it will offer 500,000 square metres of indoor exhibition and conference space. Supported by 2,000,000 sqm of planning and business infrastructure, it provides unprecedented advantages for the further development of the exhibition industry.

"Informa is the largest events organiser in the world, and China and nearby Asian countries, account for over one third of Informa's group operations. China is the fastest growing segment among our businesses and Shenzhen serves as the most strategic location to expand our events arm," Informa's McCurdy revealed.

During the meeting, McCurdy and his management team also introduced Informa Group's business in Shenzhen and talked about upcoming projects. Currently, Informa Global Exhibition runs three operating companies in Shenzhen, managing four projects. Additional projects are slated to be launched in Shenzhen.At the end of the meeting, Wang proposed a collaboration between the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and Informa aimed at developing Shenzhen as the leading exhibitions venue in China.

Strong demand for exhibitions

Informa Exhibitions, the global exhibitions division of Informa PLC, today announced it secured the number one spot on AMR International’s annual “Top 20 exhibitions organisers” list and was recognized for having the highest number of shows included on the 2018 Trade Show Executive (TSE) Gold 100 list.

AMR International is a leading adviser to the global events industry and its annual global list ranks organizers exclusively on exhibition organising revenue, taking 2017 revenues and 2018 merger and acquisition activity to date into account. Organisers are ranked on the latest fully reported year combined with pro-forma revenues of acquisitions. Informa, which combined with UBM in June 2018, took the number one spot on the list in 2018, moving up from number three in the 2017 report. The 2018 report can be viewed here.

“The trade show industry landscape is constantly changing. We’ve been working to drive these changes, anticipating and supporting the needs of our constituents in various market verticals and regions,” said Charlie McCurdy, CEO, Informa Exhibitions. “As one unified exhibition company, we continue to focus on delivering the right benefits and the right experience on the floor to exhibitors and attendees and we will continue this commitment as a leading player in the global events space.”

The TSE Gold 100 list includes the nation’s 100 largest trade shows that set the gold standard for the industry. Winners were announced at this year’s Trade Show Executive Gold Awards & Summit, which took place October 10 – 12, 2018, in Dana Point, CA. Informa Exhibitions secured seven spots on the list and was recognized as the organizer with the highest number of shows included. UBM, which in June 2018 combined with Informa, had four events on the roster.

“We are honored to be included on the TSE Gold 100 with our esteemed peers in providing industry-leading events that meet the changing needs of exhibitors and attendees,” said Rick McConnell, President of Informa Exhibitions, North America. “Our success is reliant on our Market Maker strategy that focuses exclusively on the customer and strives to extend the experience sellers and buyers have at our exhibitions into year-round digital customer and content platforms. By providing a showcase for products and innovation, we are able to attract new business and provide interdependence between all players in each community.”

The 11 Informa Exhibitions/UBM shows included on the TSE Gold 100 list include:

• Natural Products Expo East/Biofach America
• Natural Products Expo West/Engredea
• SupplySide WestThe
• International Surface Event: SURFACES | StonExpo/Marmomac | TileExpo
• WasteExpo
• World of Concrete
• Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport Show (WWETT)
• Licensing Expo
• MAGIC – August
• MAGIC – February
• Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West (includes Automation Technology Expo (ATX) West, Pacific Design & Manufacturing, Plastec West, and West Pack)

In a featured article in Trade Show Executive, Charlie McCurdy talks about the recent merger with UBM that created the largest B2B trade show organiser in the world and the continued growth and global reach for Informa Exhibitions in 2018.

Informa Exhibitions’ investments in people, technology and markets over the last several years have helped build the operational capability to continue its global growth and scale. As a larger, stronger enterprise, the company will be able to continue to invest in these initiatives.

In the article, Charlie explains the rationale behind the merger, differences and similarities between Informa and UBM in various parts of the world, integrations plans, sustaining top-line growth, and the possibility of future additional mergers or add-on acquisitions.

With regards to Informa Exhibitions’ focus over the next 12 months, Charlie states, “It goes back to the overriding strategy of being a great exhibition organizer. But more fundamentally and over some period of time, it is looking at our job to make markets flow more effectively within regions and across the world.”

“Everyone who attends our shows is every day searching for products and services in all possible ways. We want to be able to coordinate their efforts a little bit better than we had before.”

Click here for the full article in the August 2018 issue of Trade Show Executive

UBM EMEA is excited to announce that during 2018 both their offices and events within central Europe (and including CPhI’s North America event) will be powered by renewable electricity. This will result in our electricity usage being carbon neutral, reducing our event carbon footprint by an estimated 67%, and our office carbon impact by an estimated 82%.

For every Megawatt-hour (MWH) of renewable energy generated and added in to the global electricity grid there is a certificate created and traded. By purchasing a matching number of Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) against the electricity usage from our offices and events we have converted our electricity consumption to renewable sources to become carbon neutral. For 2018 our electricity usage has been generated by Scottish wind farms.

As a result of the REC scheme and a number of other key initiatives, such as using 100% recycled paper for all our event printing and switching to LED lights for all shell scheme stands, UBM EMEA will not only exceed their science based target of an 11% carbon reduction per m2 by 2020, but will go beyond this reduction two years early.

EMEA Events powered by renewable energy in 2018 include:

• Pharmapack Europe
• Kbb
• Medtec Europe
• CPhI North America
• IFSEC International,
• FIREX International,
• Safety & Health Expo,
• Professional Clothing Show,
• Field Service Management Expo
• Decorex International
• Brand Licencing Europe
• Sleep + Eat
• CPhI World Wide & co-located events
• Health ingredients Europe
• Black Hat Europe

Offices powered by renewable energy in 2018:

• London
• Manchester
• Amsterdam
• Colchester
• Siegburg

UBM EMEA sees the use of renewable energy as a key factor in fostering a sustainable events industry and are proud to be supporting the development and expansion of a global sustainable energy supply.

About UBM EMEA:

UBM EMEA recently became part of Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organiser in the world.
To learn more and for the latest news and information, visit www.ubm.com and www.informa.com.

 

With the Informa and UBM transaction officially complete, the deal has received some attention in the trade media with coverage in Exhibition World and Trade Show Executive. Commenting on the deal, Charlie McCurdy said, “We are excited about the new Combination of UBM and Informa. In addition to delivering value to our customers, our colleagues are at the heart of the Combination and by supporting collaboration, innovation and excellence internally, we are strengthening our position in our target markets to support the success of participants across our events.”

McCurdy offered his views on how the acquisition may impact the exhibitions industry and said, “What has become clear over the last decade is that the many of the vertical markets that the exhibitions industry supports are truly global. We’re playing an increasingly important role in connecting business communities and brands all over the world. As a result, exhibitions companies looking to prosper in this environment need deep vertical specialisation and broad global reach. So we need to bring to bear the skills and services needed to support that reach.”

Over the last several years, Informa’s investments in people, technology and markets have helped build operational capability to continue its global growth and scale. McCurdy added, “As a larger, stronger enterprise, we’ll be able to continue to invest in these initiatives”

For the full articles featured please visit Exhibition World and Trade Show Executive .

When global exhibition industry leaders, including both organizers and venue operators, gather in London on January 30 for the 2019 UFI Global CEO Summit (GCS), Informa Exhibitions’ Charlie McCurdy will be the Summit Chair and deeply involved in working on the programme for the top level attendees at the invitation-only event.

“As far as I’m concerned, UFI’s CEO Summit is a must-attend event,” says Charlie. Adds UFI Managing Director/CEO Kai Hattendorf, “We are thrilled to be working with Charlie as our Chair.”

The GCS programme will provide a mix of panels, interactive sessions, and a broad scope of networking opportunities. The 2018 GCS held in Cannes received top ratings from participants.

For the full article appearing on www.ufi.org, please click here.

"Is Bigger Better" ... That was the Question Exhibition World addressed to Charlie McCurdy. Charlie’s response: Yes, bigger is better when it provides unparalleled perspective within core verticals and regional markets as well as robust career paths for talented, driven industry professionals.

For the full article appearing in Exhibition World, please click here.

UBM Ties with Informa for the Most Trade Shows Awarded by an Organization

NEW YORK, April 04, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UBM plc, the world’s largest pure-play business-to-business event’s organizer and marketing services organization, proudly announces that 14 trade shows from its Americas division are featured on the latest Trade Show News Network (TSNN) Top US Trade Show List, up from 10 last year. As one of the world's leading news and online resources for the trade show, exhibition and event industry since 1996, TSNN is the authority in ranking the top shows held in the United States, in terms of square footage.

"We are honored to have 14 of our UBM Americas’ events included on TSNN’s Top Trade Show List. These events are driven by our commitment to producing and delivering a strong customer experience, connect industry leaders and help businesses grow,” said Scott Schulman, CEO, UBM Americas. “It’s exciting to see that our events in a wide variety of industries were recognized including advanced manufacturing, fashion, licensing, the cruise industry and pharmaceuticals. We’re proud to be a big part of an industry that plays such an important role in driving global commerce, and we congratulate the many other great events on the list.”

The UBM events included on TSNN’s Top Trade Show List in 2017:

• Advanced Manufacturing Expo Cleveland
• BIOMEDevice Boston
• BIOMEDevice San Jose
• COTERIE - February
• COTERIE – September
• CPhI North America & InformEx
• DesignCon
• Licensing Expo
• MAGIC February Market Week
• MAGIC August Market Week
• Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) East
• Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) Minneapolis
• Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West
• Seatrade Cruise Global

About UBM Americas

UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc, delivers events and marketing services in the fashion, technology, licensing, advanced manufacturing, automotive and powersports, healthcare, veterinary and pharmaceutical industries, among others.  Through a range of aligned interactive environments, both physical and digital, UBM Americas increases business effectiveness for customers and audiences through meaningful experiences, knowledge and connections. The division also includes UBM Brazil’s market leading events in construction, cargo transportation, logistics & international trade, and agricultural production; and UBM Mexico's, construction, advanced manufacturing and hospitality services shows. For more information, visit: https://www.ubm.com/americas

About UBM plc

UBM plc is the largest pure-play B2B Events organiser in the world. In an increasingly digital world, the value of connecting on a meaningful, human level has never been more important. At UBM, our deep knowledge and passion for the industry sectors we serve allow us to create valuable experiences where people can succeed. At our events people build relationships, close deals and grow their businesses. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors – from fashion to pharmaceutical ingredients. These global networks, skilled, passionate people and market-leading events provide exciting opportunities for business people to achieve their ambitions.

UBM Americas Media Contact:

Beth Cowperthwaite
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Beth.Cowperthwaite@ubm.com 203-414-0865

Charlie McCurdy, CEO of Informa’s Global Exhibitions Division, this week was named the 2017 winner of the Robert L. Krakoff Industry Award of Excellence. The award, presented annually by the Society of independent Show Organizers (SISO), is given only to the most impactful leaders of for-profit businesses in the exhibition and event industry. It is the only award given out by SISO.

Ned Krause, current Chairman of SISO and a past recipient of the Krakoff Award, called McCurdy an "innovator and a leader who has made a positive impact for the whole industry." Prior to his position at Informa, McCurdy was CEO at George Little Management and CEO at Canon Communications, which was acquired by United Business Media in 2010).

In his acceptance of the Krakoff Award, McCurdy said he was not only honored to receive the award for his own contributions, but for "what the award itself says about the importance today of our industry to companies and entrepreneurs doing business in the global marketplace."

Informa presents 170 trade and consumer exhibitions each year throughout the world and includes the brands of Arab Health, Cityscape, China Beauty Expo, World of Concrete and Fan Expo. In March, Informa acquired Yachting Promotions Inc, which operates some of the largest boat shows in the U.S.

The Award of Excellence was established in 2008 after the death of trade show legend Robert L. Krakoff, whose own career in the exhibition industry was extensive. At the time of his death, he was President and CEO of Nielsen Business Media and was previously chair and CEO of Advanstar Inc.

For the full release appearing in TSE, please click here.