Clarion Events Reportedly on Sales Block for $327 Million

September 22, 2014

With UBM confirming it’s in discussions to possibly buy Advanstar Communications and Questex Media Group being bought last week by Shamrock Capital Advisors, yet another trade show organizer, U.K.-based Clarion Events, also is rumored to be on the sales block, according to The Sunday Times.

Clarion, which currently is controlled by Veronis Suhler Stevenson, is the largest trade show organizer in the U.K., and the sales price is reported to be $327 million.

Clarion's Executive Chairman Simon Kimble  and VSS Managing Partner Jeffrey Stevenson have not responded to a request for comment.

Clarion Events organizes more than 200 events (a mixture of trade shows, conferences and seated events) annually across the globe.

Some of those events include the Defense and Security industries – Counter Terror Expo, DSEI - Defence & Security Equipment International; the Retail industry – Top Drawer London, The Shows Home & Gift Harrogate; and Financial Services – Mortgage Business Expo, to name a few.

There are 350 people working for Clarion Events from 9 offices in 9 different countries: UK; USA (Connecticut and Reno); UAE; Germany; Brazil; Singapore; South Africa; The Netherlands; Turkey.

According to the company, current turnover is more than $131 million and profits have grown fourfold since undertaking an MBO in 2004.  

In that time, Clarion Events has completed 12 acquisitions, as well as launched new events and entered into three joint venture partnerships.

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