Top three positions unchanged in Stax exhibitions ranking

Informa, RX and Clarion continue to lead the global exhibition industry, respectively holding onto the top three positions in Stax’s annual ranking of organizers.

The figures also show exhibitions exposed to Chinese markets making a strong return. Read more about it below.

Here are the top headlines for your weekly event news updates:

• Informa, RX, Clarion retain top spots in Stax exhibitions ranking
• Nineteen Group receives new funding from Phoenix Group
• IAEE partners to boost events industry job access 
• Easyfairs names new group CMO
• IFES appoints new executive director
• AEV announces changes to board at AGM

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Read on for your full Week in Events roundup ⤵️

Informa, RX, Clarion retain top spots in Stax exhibitions ranking

Informa, RX and Clarion have held onto the top three positions in Stax’s annual ranking of exhibition organizer revenues.

The Top 20 Ranking of Exhibition Organizers – based on 2023 statistics – saw the top three spots remain unchanged from the previous year.

Source: Stax Consulting

The report highlighted a strong recovery in the exhibition industry, with the combined 2023 revenue of the top 20 organizers increasing by 47% year-on-year.

This growth was driven by most organizers achieving double-digit revenue increases, with the exception of some biennial events.

While the top three remained stable, the remainder of the top 20 rankings saw significant shifts – indicating a dynamic and evolving industry landscape.

Notably, organizers with significant exposure to the Chinese market climbed back to earlier positions, fuelled by the strong recovery of the Chinese exhibition market.

CloserStill also made notable gains, moving up six spots to 14th, while dmg events re-entered the list after a two-year absence.

Nineteen Group receives new funding from Phoenix Group

Nineteen Group has raised new funding from Phoenix Group through a £200 million continuation fund.

The fund was led by Kline Hill Partners and co-led by Ares Management.

This new funding round sees Nineteen Group transition to a larger fund managed by Phoenix, providing increased capital for organic growth, new launches and mergers and acquisitions.

Peter Jones, CEO of the group, said: “We are immensely proud to be able to further scale our business in partnership with Phoenix.

“With Phoenix’s backing the Nineteen team has ambitious plans to drive the next phase of growth, through building organically, launching new exhibitions, and further acquisitions.”

David Burns, managing partner at Phoenix, added: “We are excited to continue the journey with Nineteen and Envisage, two fabulous businesses that represent the best of what we do.

“We are delighted to be reaffirming our support for them with this transaction. Each company has consistently delivered on its ambitious plans, and we believe there is significant opportunity for further growth.”

A significantly larger acquisition facility has also been agreed upon through Ares Direct Lending.

Since Phoenix’s initial investment, Nineteen Group has expanded from 7 shows and 28 employees to 21 shows and a team of 174 across three continents.

This period saw the company achieve an average of 30% year-on-year organic growth, launch nine new shows, acquire seven businesses and establish new offices internationally.

The continuation fund will also support the continued growth of Envisage Dental, a dental company that’s also part of Phoenix’s portfolio.

IAEE partners to boost events industry job access 

IAEE has partnered with two associations to streamline career opportunities in the exhibitions and events industry.

? Exciting news! IAEE Partners w/ ESCA and EDPA have joined forces to enhance our industry's job board. Now, finding your dream job in event management, design, logistics & more is easier than ever. Employers & job seekers, connect on our united platform! https://t.co/v865xvCakZ pic.twitter.com/6w1EbWct54

— IAEE Headquarters (@IAEE_HQ) September 17, 2024

The partnership integrates IAEE’s existing job board with the Exhibition Services & Contractors Association (ESCA) and the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) resources.

It aims to create a unified platform for job listings across various sectors including event management, design, logistics and production.

Key features of the enhanced job board include:

• A user-friendly interface for employers and job seekers
• Targeted listings for various industry roles
• Access for both members and non-members of the partnering associations
• Free browsing and application for job seekers
• Competitive rates for job postings, with discounts for association members

IAEE president and CEO Marsha Flanagan said: “Our goal with this collaboration is to ensure that all industry professionals have access to a comprehensive resource for career opportunities.

“By partnering with ESCA and EDPA, we are providing unparalleled value to our collective memberships and the industry at large.”

This collaboration aims to streamline the hiring process and improve access to career opportunities within the exhibitions and events industry.

The integrated job board is now live and available for use by professionals and employers in the sector.

Easyfairs names new group CMO

Easyfairs has appointed Alison Church as its new group chief marketing officer.

Alison, who previously held the position of regional CMO for Easyfairs UK & Global and more recently the Nordic region, will now be based at the company’s headquarters in Brussels.

In her new role, she will report to Group CEO Anne Lafère and Group CTO Stephan Forseilles.

Anne said: “Alison’s remarkable contributions to the UKG region, her strategic leadership and her drive for excellence make her the ideal candidate for this crucial group role as Easyfairs enters its next phase of growth.

“Her work has been pivotal to the success of the UKG region, and she has also been instrumental in developing our Marketing, Intelligence & Technology function in the Nordic region over the last year; and so we look forward to seeing her expertise shape our global strategies.”

Alison’s responsibilities now include overseeing group marketing programs, corporate marketing, global brand strategies and contributing to the company’s digital transformation.

Stephan added: “It’s an exciting new chapter for Easyfairs and we’re delighted that Alison will be a central part of this future.

“Her commitment to excellence and innovation will be invaluable as we continue to drive forward our digital and technological initiatives on a global scale.”

Alison brings over 25 years of experience in the events industry, having worked with companies such as Centaur and Venture Marketing Group.

She joined Easyfairs 13 years ago and has held senior roles within the organization.

Alison said: “I am incredibly excited to take on this new role at Easyfairs.

“The event industry is evolving at a rapid pace, and I look forward to working with our talented teams globally to harness the power of technology and innovation to deliver even greater value for our customers.”

IFES appoints new executive director

The International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services has named Gregor Bischkopf as its new executive director.

He will succeed outgoing executive director Uta Goretzky by the year-end.

Gregor brings extensive trade show industry experience and is expected to enhance IFES’s strategy and bring fresh perspectives to the association.

The Executive Board praised Goretzky’s decade-long leadership, which brought financial stability and strong management to IFES.

AEV announces changes to board at AGM

The Association of Event Venues has announced changes to its board following the organization’s annual general meeting.

While chair Ian Taylor (managing director, NEC), vice chair Kerry Villa (COO, ACC Liverpool) and treasurer Jeremy Rees (CEO, ExCeL London) remain in their positions, the AEV welcomes several new members.

Steve Sayer, vice president and general manager of the O2, was re-elected to the board. Formally elected after filling casual vacancies earlier in the year are:

• Rob Wicks, managing director, P&J Live
• Andy O’Sullivan, CEO, Olympia Events
• Sarah Marshall, venue director, Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre
• Lori Hoinkes, chief executive, Manchester Central

Ian expressed gratitude to outgoing Chair Shaun Hinds, acknowledging his contributions and the strong position of the AEV.

He said: “Membership, engagement, interaction, and financial standing are all strong.

“Shaun left the AEV in excellent shape, and I look forward to continuing the work we have set ahead of us.”

He added: “We have taken time to review our strategy and recognise our key factors in achieving our goals to continue advocating for the industry and ensuring we have the finance and resources to support and serve our members.

“We now have 48 members, nine academic associate members and offer 16 working groups hosting 52 meetings over the past year.  As always, we are extremely grateful to all our members for their contributions.”

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