Press

24 July 2019

Half-Year Results for Six Months to 30 June 2019 Performing to Plan: Accelerated Integration Plan Complete, Continuing Growth & Market Specialisation

24 July 2019 - London: Informa (LSE: INF.L), the International Exhibitions, Events, Information Services and Scholarly Publishing Group, today released its financial results for the six months to 30 June 2019, reporting continued growth and performance, including the effective delivery of the 12-month Accelerated Integration Plan (“AIP”).

Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive, said: “A year on from the acquisition of UBM, the enlarged Informa Group is performing to plan, delivering a further period of growth in revenue, adjusted operating profit, free cash flow and dividends.”

He added: “Our Advanced Learning businesses remain resilient, our Data, Information and Communities businesses are performing well, and despite previously identified headwinds in our Fashion and Middle East businesses, we continue to grow consistently in Events and Exhibitions. This puts us on track to deliver our targets for 2019 and provides a strong foundation for consistent future growth and performance.”

Performing to Plan across the Group, delivering H1 underlying revenue growth of 3.4%:
• Informa Markets: Continued good growth, reflecting international reach and focus on major B2B brands with depth in attractive specialist markets; H1 pro-forma reported revenue growth of 8.4% and 4.4% underlying;

• Informa Connect: Continued focus on branded confexes and events in Life Sciences and Finance delivers further progress; H1 pro-forma reported revenue growth of 8.0% and 2.1% underlying;

• Informa Tech: Newly formed market-facing business performing well, ahead of seasonal uplift in the second half and the addition of IHS Markit’s TMT portfolio; H1 pro-forma reported revenue growth of 5.7% and 1.1% underlying;

• Informa Intelligence: Focus on subscriptions delivers strong renewals and steady new business momentum, complemented by valuable consulting and project work; H1 pro-forma reported revenue growth of 8.9% and 3.2% underlying;

• Taylor & Francis: Solid subscription renewals and strong momentum in open access delivers resilient performance against a tough comparable; H1 pro-forma reported revenue growth of 5.6% and 1.8% underlying.

Operational Performance to Plan: Operating as one Group, focusing on specialist markets
• AIP completed on schedule: One-year programme of combination and creation delivered on budget and on schedule. All teams combined, leadership confirmed, brands aligned and operating as one business. On track to deliver £50m cost synergies in 2019, with more than £20m realised in H1;

• Progressive Portfolio Management: Agreement for the divestiture of wealth management information business, IIS, announced today for up to $85m, subject to certain conditions, following on from previous sale of the Life Sciences Media Portfolio and the proposed agreement with IHS Markit for our Agribusiness Intelligence portfolio;

programme of targeted disposals nearing completion, increasing the focus on core specialist markets with greatest opportunities for growth and expansion;

• Creation of Informa Tech: New market-focused business established, bringing together a portfolio of specialist brands and broad range of B2B products and services for the Technology industry; target to double underlying revenue growth within four years, supported by recent addition of IHS Markit’s portfolio of leading TMT research and information brands;

• Expansion in Premium Lifestyle: Extension and further strengthening of relationship with Principality of Monaco in Premium Lifestyle market, bringing together leading brands serving the International Yachting and Arts communities. Strong customer complementarity creates attractive opportunities for cross marketing and co-location initiatives;

• Purpose & Values: Launch of Brand platform for the enlarged Informa Group, including new guiding principles, a Group purpose focused around Championing the Specialist, and a refreshed visual identity for all five operating divisions and the Group;

• Board Strength in Depth: Appointment of Gill Whitehead as Non-Executive Director, bringing valuable digital, data and analytics expertise from roles at Google, Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide;

• Progressive Dividends: Strong free cash flow underpins ongoing commitment to attractive and growing dividends, with 7.1% growth in Interim Dividends per Share

Click here to review the full report.

09 July 2019

Informa Markets Partners with IAEE for Workforce Training

Dallas, TX - 09 July, 2019 - Informa Markets, producer of 550 B2B events globally each year, has partnered with the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) to provide its 4,400 employees with a workforce training program and the opportunity to earn a Certificate in Exhibition Management qualification. The customized training program will be open to all Informa Markets colleagues who have passed their
probation period (about six months but varies by location), Sean Ongers,
Head of Global Learning and Performance, Informa Markets, told Trade Show Executive.

“We are excited to offer our extensive knowledge in exhibition management with a global leader like Informa Markets,” said IAEE President and CEO David DuBois. “This is the first-ever agreement IAEE has entered into with another company to extend knowledge in core
competencies of exhibition management.”

In 2014, IAEE partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration to offer a comprehensive competency model for the hospitality, tourism and events industry. This model is the basis for creating learning opportunities for those in the exhibitions and events industry and serves as the cornerstone for the curriculum delivered in this partnership. The IAEE/Informa Markets certificate program involves a combination of classroom instruction and applied learning, which will be overseen by the Informa Markets Global Learning and Performance team.

“It’s all about the knowledge and impact,” Ongers said. “Informa Markets colleagues will complete a series of courses and exams. For each course, their manager will also be required to sign off on the impact back in the workplace before receiving the certificate of completion and qualification.” Informa Markets colleagues will also have the option
to complete IAEE’s official Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) Learning Program and obtain the globally recognized designation.

Currently, there are more than 3,000 active CEMs, of which 16.3% work for a for-profit company. Informa’s training team, who have completed the IAEE Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) Learning program will be conducting the in-house training. “The partnership with IAEE brings amazing opportunities for our colleagues around the world
with its globally recognized Certificate in Exhibition Management Qualification,” Ongers said.

Fastest 50 Crowns the Fastest-Growing Trade Shows of the Year

Atlantic City, N.J. - 21 June, 2019 -The Awards Gala capped another successful Fastest 50 Awards & Summit. Around 150 top show organizers and industry partners joined TSE for a full schedule of educational sessions and networking activities. Nine individual shows were honored with Grand Awards in a dozen categories. Along with JIS Exchange, MJBizCon, MODEX and Southeast Flooring Market were also recipients of two Grand Awards each for their accomplishments. Informa was declared the “top organizer of the year” with a total of nine shows on the Fastest 50 and Next 50 lists.

The full roster of awards presented included:

JIS Exchange: Rock Star Award; Fastest-Growing Annual Show in Attendance (Percentage)
International Woodworking Show: Fastest-Growing Non-Annual Show in Exhibit Space (Sheer Numbers)
MODEX: Fastest-Growing Non-Annual Show in Exhibitors and Attendance (Sheer Numbers); Fastest-Growing Non-Annual Show in Attendance (Percentage)
CES: Fastest-Growing Annual Show in Exhibit Space and Exhibitors (Sheer Numbers) MJBizCon: Fastest-Growing Annual Show in Attendance (Sheer Numbers); Fastest-Growing Annual Show in Exhibit Space (Percentage)
Southeast Flooring Market: Fastest-Growing Annual Show in Exhibitors (Percentage); Fastest-Growing Show (Blended Growth)
International Airport GSE Expo (Ground Support Equipment): Fastest-Growing Non-Annual Show in Exhibit Space and Exhibitors (Percentage)
The Landscape Show: Fastest-Growing Show Managed by an Association (Blended Growth)
ANCC National Magnet Conference (American Nurses Credentialing Center): Fastest-Growing Medical Show (Blended Growth)
Informa Markets: Top Organizer in the Number of Fastest 50 and Next 50 Shows

The next TSE Fastest 50 Awards & Summit will take place in Las Vegas at the soon-to-open Caesars FORUM. Trade Show Executive will honor the largest trade shows of last year at the Gold 100 Awards & Summit on Sept. 25-27 in San Diego at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. See www.tsegold100.com for information on registration and the event agenda.

UFI Launches Sustainable Development Goals Database for the Exhibition Industry

Just in time for Global Exhibitions Day on June 6, UFI – the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry – launched a new report and online database designed to track global exhibitions industry sustainability initiatives and projects in keeping with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

Initiated by UFI’s working group on sustainability and put together in collaboration with sustainability consulting and research firm Greenview, this first-of-its-kind resource showcases the environmental efforts of global event organizers, venues and service providers while inspiring others to launch sustainability projects under the UN framework.

“As the exhibition industry, we are connecting markets to foster trade and development [and] through our daily work, we help to drive the growth of economies and societies,” said Craig Newman, president of UFI. “With this new, publicly available online database, we want to grow the awareness of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and how exhibition industry players are contributing to catalyze a sustainable future for all.”

Developed in 2015 with the goal of achieving them by 2030, the SDGs were created as a blueprint for businesses, governments and individuals to achieve a more sustainable future. They address 17 global challenges, including poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice.

In the database’s first data collection phase, which was completed in early May, large global exhibition organizers such as Informa, Reed Exhibitions and Messe Frankfurt sent in submissions explaining how their organizations are contributing to the SDG agenda. A total of 20 exemplary submissions were accepted.

The three entry types included:

·     Type I: Exhibition Theme: How the theme of the exhibition contributes to the SDGs

·     Type II: Exhibition Operation: How the operator of the exhibition contributes to the SDGs

·     Type III: Company’s Operations: How a company’s own operations contribute to the SDGs

Each submission demonstrated how that organization’s actions contribute to SDGs; how their actions were made possible; and quantified monetary, time and other impacts. This in-depth information sharing also included a section for feedback and lessons learned, which allows other industry professionals to learn from these valuable experiences.

According to UFI officials, the initial series of submissions reveals that the SDG approach is well established within the leadership of the exhibition industry. While all 17 SDGs were mentioned, SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production was the most common, with 70 percent of submissions citing a contribution to this particular area of action.

Under this category, sustainable actions taken included purchasing from local suppliers whenever possible; reducing the usage of single-use plastics, and reducing food waste through composting or donation. Partnerships with suppliers, guests and local charities were often mentioned as key to achieving these goals. In addition, sustainability is increasingly becoming part of the business model, with venue operators stipulating environmental terms in their contracts.

The second most commonly cited SDG was SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth. This was not surprising, according to UFI officials, since exhibitions reach out to tens of thousands of people; and encompass all sectors of business, government and civil society, with a large value chain of partners and stakeholders.

The first series of submissions demonstrated how the exhibition industry can touch SDGs in many different ways and have a meaningful collective impact while enjoying cost savings, especially through multi-stakeholder partnerships, according to UFI officials.

These best practices and innovative ideas have been compiled into a complimentary summary report, “The Exhibition Industry and the UN SDGs: Connecting People, Multiplying Impact.”

UFI’s second data collection phase, which began on June 6, is currently underway. Those interested in participating can contact chris@ufi.org.

To learn more about UFI’s sustainability initiatives, go here.

12 June 2019

Sustainability takes centre stage at EEAA GED19 events

12 June, 2019 - The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) has wrapped up its five events for Global Exhibitions Day (#GED19) with a call out to the industry to make ecological sustainability a major priority as well as career development and talent acquisition.

EEAA chief executive Joyce DiMascio said that #GED19 focussed on three key messages for the industry, including the importance of the sector to the economy, exhibitions as an effective and sustainable way of doing business and promoting a 'a career for life' in business events.

“These themes were embedded in the program from start to finish and they resonated strongly with delegates and partners from across the industry,” she commented. “In order for our industry to continue to grow and contribute to the economy, it’s vital that we attract a broad range of talent with the right set of skills. Sustainable business practices are at the core of what many emerging leaders look for from their employers – and the business events sector must commit to taking real steps to reducing our impact on the environment by cutting our waste output and looking at procurement with conscious regard for sustainability.”

The association used the events as an opportunity to report back on its work developing a Sustainability Framework for the industry. Consulting firm Edge Environment was appointed as sustainability advisor, with a brief to develop a strategic roadmap for the next 12-24 months, and a new partnership with Tourism Australia was announced to support the sustainability initiative.

John O’Sullivan, managing director of Tourism Australia said: “Our partnership with EEAA is a key part of Tourism Australia’s business events strategy, and recognises the importance of the exhibitions sector to both the business events sector and Australia’s visitor economy. Tourism Australia partners with EEAA on two specific initiatives: we are a proud sponsor of the Young Stars program and the Richard Geddes Young Achievers Award. And on Wednesday at the EEAA Leaders Forum, we announced an extension to our partnership to become a partner for the Champions of Sustainability program for the year ahead.

"Our strengthened partnership with EEAA is not just about bringing exhibitions to Australia but also about supporting a strong and sustainable future for our business events industry.”

The Young Stars program, launched in 2010, gives the EEAA's youngest members a platform to share their views, ideas and experiences, as well as to have a bigger voice in the work of the association.

Margaret Ma Connolly of Informa Markets Asia delivered a keynote presentation addressing the challenges associated with attracting and retaining the right workforce. She commented: "We have a lot in common with the Australian industry – the focus on talent, career development and the importance of ecological and business sustainability. The forum provides a platform for sharing good ideas and inspiration from each other and to me that is the true value of the event.”

Promising Executives Named to Latest Class of TSE Trailblazers

Washington, D.C. - June, 2, 2019 - Four show managers and a bright star of the analytics world make up the 2019 class of the Trade Show Executive (TSE) Trailblazers.

The annual TSE Trailblazers roster is made up of show executives who are already making names for themselves as they climb the ladder at their respective companies and associations. The newest members include two vice presidents, show managers and a key data analyst from Informa.

They will be among the Guests of Honor at the June 18-20 TSE Fastest 50 Awards & Summit in Atlantic City where they will meet, mingle and network with other high-achieving show organizers and managers whose events led the way in growth last year.

“Our TSE Trailblazer program is meant to acknowledge and celebrate up-and-comers for their efforts in creating something new or taking a new approach to a show or within their organization,” TSE Publisher and Editor, Gabrielle Weiss said. “Our 2019 TSE Trailblazers are definitely blazing a new path and have the results to show for their hard work.”

This year’s class is the second edition of the annual Trailblazers program and is generously sponsored by Trade Show Executive’s parent company, United Service Companies.

The honorees include:

Jordan Tuchband, Industry Vice President, JIS Events, Reed Exhibitions. Tuchband has consistently produced solid results for his team and has introduced technologies that have made an impact companywide.
Krista DeBrosse, International Trade Show Manager, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI). DeBrosse quickly stepped up to a new role which helped her team generate double-digit percentage growth in both show space and registration for a show in Mexico.
Carlos Baudett, Director, Trade Expositions, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Baudett has demonstrated that he is a strategist and tacitician for his team. Moreover, he has earned a reputation as a hands-on leader who is always on the lookout for ways to improve produces and events.
Lisa Glosson, Vice President, Clarion Events. Glosson impressed Clarion by overseeing the launch of the MATCH program which is now being replicated. Her “what-if-we-did-this?” approach has moved her up the ranks in her career path.
Mary Atkins, Data Analyst, Informa Markets. Mary’s laser focus on being of service has helped to generate reporting that sets her apart. Informa highly praised her ability to strike pay dirt while mining for the most productive data for show managers. Her work is helping organizers and their shows companywide.

As honorees of this prestigious program, TSE Trailblazers are invited to attend Trade Show Executive’s Fastest 50 Awards and Summit in Atlantic City. They are recognized at the event and receive additional exposure through an article in the magazine and though social media channels.

TSE’s Fastest 50 and Awards Summit will be held next week from June 18-20 at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City.

TSE’s Eight Key Takeaways from ECEF 2019

Washington, D.C. - June, 2, 2019 - Held annually during the week following
Memorial Day, this year’s Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF) attracted more than 200 attendees to the JW Marriott.

“The confirmed number of ECEF 2019 verified attendees, sponsors, speakers and media was 220,” said Sam Lippman, President, Lippman Connects, producer of ECEF. In 2018, ECEF attracted 222 industry professionals.

For the second year, ECEF included a networking and technology activity combined with a closing reception. The ECEF TechDemo featured 12 technology solutions.

ECEF offered six educational sessions, and Trade Show Executive identified eight key takeaways:

1. Lead by example. “Nothing attracts competition like success,” Marijuana Business Daily Co-Founder and CEO Cassandra Farrington said during the opening keynote titled Navigating Treacherous Waters. She shared how her company navigated the unusual political and business hurdles to lead one of the Trade Show Executive’s Fastest 50
growing exhibitions in the U.S. When MJBizCon launched in 2012, the event attracted 400 attendees to a masonic lodge in Denver. In 2018, the show attracted 27,700 attendees and 1,028 exhibitors covering nearly 180,000 net square feet at the Las Vegas Convention Center. While fast growth is good, it can be challenging. In addition to the event,
Marijuana Business Daily is a full-fledged B2B media company that offers content through a number of channels, including a print magazine, website, social media, books, apps, TV and more. “Our brand had the first double-decker booth at our show,” she said. “We had the hanging sign. We have had to bring along and train our exhibitors and
attendees.”

2. China as the next big exhibition investor? At the session titled The Other 75% of the World’s Market, UFI Managing Director/CEO Kai Hattendorf talked about how the world’s conventions and exhibitions are evolving — and what impact this has on business in the U.S. He asked: “Will the world economy flip?” In 2019, the U.S. is the world’s largest economy with an annual GDP of $19.4 trillion, representing 24% of global GDP. By 2030, some are predicting that China will be No. 1 in world with $64.2 trillion in GDP. “China made its first exhibition investment earlier this year in the Thailand International
Dog Show,” Hattendorf said. “We will see more of China investing in shows around the globe.”

3. Become a haven for trust. “Globally, our trust in public institutions has shifted,” Dina Cappiello, Editorial Director & Group Head, Editorial & Media Strategies, Edelman, D.C. said at the session titled Storytelling in a Fake News World. According to an annual Edelman study, only 40% of the U.S. population trusts the government, and 48% of the U.S. population trusts the media. “People are looking for reliable sources,” she said. “Exhibitions can be a haven for trust. Exhibitions can be a great place for storytelling.

4. Threats to exhibitions and events. At the session titled Power Panel: Brave New World in the Event Business, Rick McConnell, President, North America, Informa Markets asked attendees to submit one or two words about what they see as the biggest threats to exhibitions and events. Among the top responses from the audience: Time,
security, budget, relevance, recession, industry consolidation, ROI, internet, competition, travel and lack of technology.

5. Supporting a cause. “No one wants to talk about profitability, but margins are high,” Lippman said. “Are there any conversations about lower profitability down the road?” Look at Tom’s shoes and Bombas socks, said McConnell. For each purchase, these companies offer an in-kind donation of their product to those in need. “To connect with millennials and Gen Z, causal marketing has to be got to be embedded in your business model,” he said. ”If not, you may be missing a big opportunity.”

6. Off the grid. At the same session, Messe Frankfurt President & CEO Dennis Smith said: “Activations and experience for attendees are critical,” he said. “Trade shows going off the 10-by-10 grid.” For example, Messe Frankfurt recently re-engineered the International Motor Show in South Africa. After acquiring the massive show, the dealer association told the company they didn’t want a show anymore, he told the audience. “It’s happening in Detroit and Frankfurt and around the globe. Dealers don’t want a static, old-school auto
school,” he said. “We redesigned the event into a B2B/B2C experience and hold it at a race track.” The first two days of the show, which is now called the Festival of Motoring, are for press and dealers, and the rest of days are for consumers. “We gained back 28 brands, and a show that was dead has come back to life.”

7. Better together. At the session titled Buy/Sell/Partner 360: The National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show’s New Model, Winsight Vice Chairman Galen Poss moderated a panel discussion about the sale and equity partnership between Winsight and the NRA show. “We wanted the association to be a true partner, so we agreed to equity partnership early on,” said Winsight CEO Mike Wood. The deal, which took three years to complete, has a unique structure — to say the least. NRA owns an equity stake in Winsight and serves on the company board as a non-voting member. In return, NRA has agreed to
sponsor the show for 45 years. In the end, the NRA board voted unanimously to approve the deal. “This association deal is significant, and I think it sets the stage for the future,” Poss said. With 62% of shows owned by associations, he said more non-profits may look to independents to help them with expand with digital and data enhancements
that they couldn’t do on their own. “We needed to act like media company to keep pace,” said Mary Pat Heftman, President, Restaurant Show Group, Winsight “At times, I felt like a trader to the association, but in the long term it is what’s best for the next generation. I believe it even more firmly now that we have completed our first show together.
We grew all metrics. That speaks volumes about the culture of association and Winsight.” For the recent NRA Show in May, Heftman said sponsorship was up 29%, and the show celebrated its 100th anniversary with 65,000 attendees from 110 countries and 2,300 exhibitors.

8. Small is in. At the session titled How to Be a Ninja Innovator, Consumer Technology Association (CTA) President and CEO Gary Shapiro talked about a wide variety of topics related to trade shows and innovation. Using audience-polling technology, Shapiro allowed ECEF attendees to select the three topics he would address. The topics
included: finding/retaining a ninja staff, keeping a mega show relevant and efficient, and the future of digital/connected health. “Small is in,” he said. “It’s difficult to innovate in big companies. Big companies will fund bad decisions for a long time.” More big companies
are looking at acquiring, partnering, mentoring and being the first customers of smaller players, he said.

In 2020, ECEF will be held on May 27 at the JW Marriott.

Informa Markets Launches New Brand Identity

Informa Markets focused on helping specialist markets and communities around the world to trade, innovate and grow.

London, United Kingdom - April 30, 2019 - Informa Markets, a division of Informa PLC (LON:INF) formerly known as Informa Exhibitions, today introduced its new name and brand identity and launched a new corporate website, reflecting the ongoing development and expansion of the business and its focus on enabling the success of its customers and the specialist markets in which they work.

“From Health & Nutrition to Construction, Healthcare & Pharma to Agriculture, Fashion to Hospitality and much more, we live and breathe specialist markets,” said Charlie McCurdy, CEO of Informa Markets. “Informa Markets really brings to life the role we play helping to bring energy, opportunity, growth and success to the specialist markets our customers operate in, and to our customers’ businesses.”

He continued: “The new Informa Markets identity reflects the continued expansion of our services both at exhibitions and beyond the show floor, into data and digital products and specialist content, as well as the expansion of our own business. After combining with UBM’s powerful event-focused brands in 2018, Informa Markets is a single, strong identity that brings together all our teams, partners and customers across our increasingly broad and international portfolio.”

Informa Markets is the leading global platform for industries, specialist markets and communities to trade, grow and engage. It consists of more than 550 international B2B events and brands, as well as specialist digital content and data solutions, with over 4,400 colleagues based in more than 40 countries around the globe. Informa Markets provides customers with meaningful experiences where they can engage, experience and do business, helping global communities to thrive 365 days a year.

“Similar to how people and companies evolve, so has our brand identity,” said Richard Brook, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Informa Markets. “It has progressed over the years as we have produced impactful events, brands, digital offerings, a distinctive culture and engaged communities around the globe. The new Informa Markets identity is a fantastic representation of what and who we are today, and how that will develop in the future as we continue to advance and provide platforms that facilitate connections and the best customer experience.”

Contact Information

Ashley Womack Director of External Communications, Informa Markets Ashley.C.Womack@informa.com

415-307-4858

07 March 2019

Informa 2018 Full Year Results Statement

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

05 March 2019

Leverage on New Innovative Solutions to Stay On Course, Say Maritime Leaders and Tech Entrepreneurs

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

05 March 2019

Leverage on New Innovative Solutions to Stay On Course, Say Maritime Leaders and Tech Entrepreneurs

"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.

"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

About Singapore Maritime Foundation

For details, visit www.smf.com.sg

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

APPENDIX 1

SEA ASIA 2019 INNOVATION ARENA -- EXHIBITOR PROFILES

Aeras Medical Pte Ltd

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)

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.

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

www.theofe.com

PIER71

www.pier71.sg

Portcast Pte. Ltd.

https://portcast.io

Ship Supplies Direct Pte Ltd

www.shipsuppliesdirect.com

SkyLab Services Pte Ltd

www.skylabteam.com

www.tagvance.com

www.threatspan.com

06 February 2018

Design News Honors Distinguished Products and Companies at 2019 Golden Mousetrap Awards

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

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14 December 2018

Shenzhen Municipal People's Government Welcomes Informa Exhibitions Delegation

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.

21 November 2018

Informa Exhibitions Named Top Global Exhibition Organizer by AMR International

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)

1 August 2018

Informa Exhibitions CEO Charlie McCurdy Plans for Continued Growth in 2018

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

29 June 2018

A game changer for the sustainability of our events

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:

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.

25 June 2018

With UBM Merger Done, Informa Exhibitions’ Charlie McCurdy Looks to Future

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 .

15 May 2018

Informa Exhibitions’ CEO Charlie McCurdy to Chair 2019 Global CEO Summit

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.

24 April 2018

Informa Exhibitions Announces Collaborations with SmartXpo CEO Charlie McCurdy Responds to the question “Is Bigger Better?”

"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.

4 April 2018

14 UBM Americas’ Events Included on 2017 TSNN Top U.S. Trade Show List

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

3 April 2018

McCurdy Honored with Robert L. Krakoff Award of Excellence

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.

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19 December 2017

Informa Exhibitions CEO Charlie McCurdy Reviews 2017 Milestones

Looking ahead, he sees 2018 as another strong year for the global exhibitions industry as a whole but with more consolidation likely...

Charlie McCurdy, CEO of Informa’s Global Exhibitions Division, Informa Exhibitions, noted that the division passed a number of key milestones in 2017. At the same time, McCurdy said he anticipates another strong year in 2018 for the global exhibitions industry.

Within Informa Exhibitions, McCurdy pointed to a number of operating highlights from the year:

"In the first instance, the successful integration of show assets from Penton Information Services, and from the Florida-based YPI boating event specialist, has contributed significant critical mass to our market position in North America, which now contributes some 50% of Informa Exhibitions’ revenues."

"These have also added much greater depth in verticals where we already had a presence. With Penton, which was acquired by Informa in the fourth quarter of 2016, we have deepened our presence in key verticals like Health & Nutrition and Aviation. And the addition of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and YPI’s four other Florida shows in the first quarter has created, with the Monaco Yacht Show, a new International Yachting vertical for Informa Exhibitions."

"Geographically, Informa Exhibitions’ Middle Eastern operations, which were the springboard from which Informa developed one of the largest and highest performing global exhibitions enterprises, continues to be its second largest regional hub, with key shows like Arab Health and Middle East Electricity. We continue to seek opportunities to expand our verticals in key developing markets like China and Brazil too.”

Looking ahead to industry trends in 2018, McCurdy anticipates:

Strong growth for the exhibitions segment globally. "The demands of the current economic cycle have demonstrated the value of the vertically driven, global exhibition for multinational sourcing, marketing, and distribution of products and services."
More growth outside of the U.S. market. "While North America, particularly the U.S., will continue to be the largest market for the global exhibitions industry, we see the potential for continued growth in MENA and Asia."
More industry consolidation ahead. "Another strong trend within the industry is likely to be continued consolidation, as smaller, single-market players find they lack the geographic diversity and critical mass to succeed independently, in contrast with larger, more globally oriented competitors."

2 March 2017

Informa Exhibitions Acquires Major US Yacht Shows from Active Interest Media

Their expertise in Technology, Digital Data and HR will play key role in strategic transformation from exhibition organizer to market maker

Informa's Global Exhibition Division announced today the purchase of Yachting Promotions Inc. ("YPI"), the operator of some of the largest yachting and boat shows in the US, for $133 million. The acquisition brings three of the world's largest in-water boat shows – the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Yachts Miami Beach and the Palm Beach International Boat Show – into the Informa Exhibitions portfolio along with the St. Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show and Suncoast Boat Show in Sarasota.

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, which draws 100,000 attendees, 1,300 exhibitors and more than 1,200 boats each November, is the largest of its kind in the world and complements Informa Exhibition’s Monaco Yacht Show, the world’s leading event dedicated to the superyachting industry.

Charlie McCurdy, CEO, said, "With this acquisition Informa Exhibitions becomes the world's leading yacht show organizer. Combining the world’s premiere show, based in Europe, with these five shows in North America creates a scale player in this attractive and growing vertical, further strengthening our relationship with leading yacht brokers and builders, providing good opportunities for cross promotion and extending customer relationships across platforms and geographies."

McCurdy added, "With the addition of these Florida shows, and following the addition of Penton’s exhibitions portfolio in 2016, Informa Exhibitions is now Informa PLC's largest division by revenue and profit. Acquisitions in key and growing verticals will continue to be part of our growth strategy going forward as we look for events that complement what we are doing within vertical markets we have identified as attractive."

Efrem "Skip" Zimbalist III, Chairman of Active Interest Media, said, "We can think of no better company than Informa Exhibitions, with its global resources, to focus on the continued growth and success of these excellent boat shows while continuing to exceed the expectations of their exhibitors and attendees."

Skip Zimbalist will advise Informa Exhibitions in the transition, and the rest of the YPI team will continue with the company as it moves forward.

McCurdy noted that Informa Exhibitions will continue YPI’s active role in the North American boating and maritime industry, including IFBSO, the International Federation of Boat Show Organisers; NACS, the National Association of Consumer Shows; Marine Industries Association of South Florida (Sponsor); Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County (Sponsor); International Yacht Brokers Association (formerly Florida Yacht Brokers Association); NMMA, the National Marine Manufacturers Association; and Sail America.

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