FTSE 100 giant Informa is to buy rival events firm Clarion from Blackstone in a £2.2bn deal

From the Newshound archive · first published 6 October 2026.

Informa, the FTSE 100 events and publishing group, has agreed to acquire Clarion Events from Blackstone in a £2.2bn deal that brings more than 100 business-to-business live event brands under one roof. The purchase will be financed through a £940m equity placement, and Informa anticipates that combined annual live-events revenue will hit £4.2bn once the transaction closes.

Clarion's portfolio includes IFA Berlin, the world's largest consumer electronics trade show, and the Defence & Security Equipment International exhibition at London's ExCel.

Informa also announced plans to spin off its academic publishing division Taylor & Francis, which generates close to $1bn in annual revenue and is growing at four per cent a year.

The merged group is expected to strip out £50m in duplicated costs and unlock £25m in additional income by 2029, with earnings per share rising by mid-single digits by 2027.