Informa’s Charlie McCurdy Talks M&A, UBM Integration and Trends for 2019

January 29, 2019
Charlie McCurdy

To say that last year was a monumental one for Informa Exhibitions, which is led by CEO Charlie McCurdy, would be quite an understatement.

2018 marked the largest mergers and acquisitions deal in history, with Informa buying fellow U.K.-based exhibition company, UBM, for a whopping $5.2 billion.

Now that the deal has been closed for several months, TSNN sat down with McCurdy to talk through what’s next and some overall exhibition market trends.

The Informa/UBM deal was completed in June, and McCurdy said there was an accelerated plan put in place immediately to integrate the two companies.

He added that the integration plan was successful, and “[we are going] into 2019 as the business we want to be, running it the way we want to run it.”

As far as activity in the past year of the overall M&A market in the exhibition industry, he said, “It would be hard to top 2018 and 2019 in transactions completed. It’s been a pretty hectic year, [but] there are probably a few more in the pipeline.”

Besides acquiring companies, McCurdy said another area of focus for Informa was growing organically in different areas worldwide.

“We’ve been very focused this year on expanding vertical markets or sectors in multinational, borderless markets,” he added.

McCurdy said one fast-growing area that they saw was in healthcare, especially in pharma and medical equipment. “[It’s] some of our biggest activity around the world,” he added, as well as the finished foods sector. “We’re quite excited about these areas.”

A lot of the company’s focus going forward as far as global areas, McCurdy said, would be in Asia and North America.

“We do see healthy growth represented in those two regions,” he added.

The trade show industry, and global economy, is not without its current challenges though, such as the trade war between the U.S. and China.

“It’s a very complicated set of circumstance,” McCurdy said of the dueling tariffs being imposed by each country. He added that right now, any possible negative impact on Informa’s business was being offset by positive exchange rates.

Looking into the future, Informa will continue to focus on finding and keeping valuable talent, McCurdy said.

“At Informa, we offer opportunities for personal and professional growth,” he added. “We help them find paths for advancement.”

McCurdy said another area of focus within the company was on digital.

“It’s something the industry has talked about for quite a few years now,” he added.

At Informa, McCurdy said there were two digital elements they were working on, the first being the delivery and adaption of digital tools to support sales, marketing, data management, etc. The second digital element was resources attendees can utilize for product services discovery.

Beyond M&A, organic growth, acquiring and maintaining talent, and managing their ever-growing digital tools, McCurdy hasn’t lost sight of the most important aspect of a global exhibition company overall: “Putting on an actual ‘show’ is the art of being a show organizer,” he said. “It’s beyond just selling concrete.”

 

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact