Informa updates strategy as it completes Ascential acquisition

Informa completed its acquisition of Ascential on Wednesday, with the transaction formally becoming effective following a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement.

As a result, Ascential's shares had been delisted from the London Stock Exchange, and trading had ceased.

In an update on Wednesday, Informa said its strategy was to enhance its B2B and academic market offerings through the creation of new divisions and expanding its digital services.

A key development post-acquisition would be the establishment of Informa Festivals - a new business segment focusing on experience-led B2B events.

The division would encompass events like Lions, Money20/20, and Black Hat, highlighting Informa’s push towards immersive content and community-driven experiences.

Its board said the events would operate separately from the Informa Connect division, which handles content-led events.

Additionally, Informa said it would expand its B2B digital services through the proposed combination with TechTarget, expected to complete by the end of the year.

Despite subdued market momentum in enterprise technology, Informa anticipated continued growth, supported by its strong financial performance and reinforced by the acquisition of Ascential.

The company reconfirmed its 2024 guidance, expecting revenue to exceed £3.5bn, with an adjusted operating profit nearing £1bm.

“The completion of the Ascential acquisition, creation of Informa Festivals and prospective creation of Informa TechTarget will establish leadership and scale in all our chosen B2B market segments, complementing our strength in Academic markets and creating a platform for growth from 2025 to 2030,” said group chief executive officer Stephen Carter.

“Over the last four years, our strategy has been to build further strength and depth in B2B businesses, targeting new growth opportunities as the Live B2B Events market segments become increasingly sophisticated, and B2B Digital Services mature.”

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.