Informa PLC has announced the acquisition of its competitor Clarion Events from Blackstone for £2.24bn.
Clarion, including its gambling industry events and publications, will be absorbed into the wider Informa portfolio.
Clarion’s WorldGaming arm runs ICE, iGB and the Indian Gaming Tradeshow, but will now live under the new ownership of a FTSE 100 company.
Informa is one of the largest media and events groups in the world and has a market cap of more than £11bn.
Lisa Hannant, CEO of Clarion, commented: “Informa’s decision to invest in Clarion is a recognition of the quality of our business, our brands and our people. This is a moment to recognise the outstanding contribution of our teams. Their passion, expertise and commitment have helped build the successful business that Informa is investing in today.”
Stephen Carter is a Labour peer and served briefly as Gordon Brown’s chief of staff in Downing Street – he now serves as CEO of Informa and has expounded on the motivations behind the deal.
He commented: “Clarion is home to world-class B2B brands and talent. We share the same focus on serving major, specialist and international markets and delivering impact and value to our customers and partners. We’re excited to bring Clarion’s brands and teams into the Informa group and to further grow and expand our leading international B2B Live Events business.”
Blackstone exit
It has been reported that Clarion might be up for sale since 2024, with Blackstone having owned the company since 2017.
The private asset management firm acquired the events company from a US investment firm Providence Equity Partners for £600m.
To put the growth from that point into context, Informa has outlined its expectations to investors that Clarion will generate more than £575m in revenue for 2027 alone.
Across the nine years of ownership, Blackstone has been aggressive with its M&A and the company now consists of over 100 B2B brands.
Hannant noted her gratitude for Blackstone’s “support and stewardship over the years, helping us invest in our people, our brands and our long-term growth.”
Blackstone’s global co-CIO, Lionel Assant, offered the following parting comments: “As demand for global events continues to grow, we believe Informa is the ideal partner for Clarion’s next chapter, combining global reach, deep industry expertise and a shared focus on delivering exceptional experiences for customers.”
The buying party has highlighted that the addition of Clarion’s portfolio is expected to deliver a mid-single digit increase in earnings per share by 2027 and a double-digit return on invested capital in the next three years.
What happens to ICE and iGB
Gaming is one area Informa has acknowledged Clarion to have a strong market position in, with the ICE and iGB events being significant contributors to its overall revenues.
Based on the stated intentions of the Informa Group, the strategy for these events will remain consistent, and indeed in Clarion’s press release, the company has confirmed that “business will continue as usual.”
In a recent video on social media, Carter referenced Informa’s long-term strategy, explaining his admiration for Clarion and the companies’ shared vision of building an international position in B2B events, an ambition that he believes the acquisition will “give further oxygen and capability to.”
The deal has been well received on the London Stock Exchange, with Informa’s share price rising by 4.39% since the announcement.
Dingnews.com 07/10/2026