Informa is acquiring Clarion Events, owner of ICE, World Gaming and iGB Live, for £2.24bn. The deal will lift the buyer's revenue to $6bn and accelerate earnings-per-share growth from 2027.
Clarion is being sold by US private equity firm Blackstone. The £2.24bn valuation represents an 11.1x multiple of expected 2027 EBITDA, dropping to 9x after synergies. Clarion's CEO will reinvest part of his stake in Informa shares once the transaction closes.
Clarion's portfolio includes more than a hundred B2B brands across forty categories in thirty countries. After the combination, Informa's live-events business will exceed £4.2bn ($5.7bn) in revenue and cover around a thousand specialist brands. Gaming has been named one of three priority growth categories, with ICE described as the global leader in the sector.
Alex Pratt, managing director of WorldGaming, said he joined iGamingBusiness in 2004. "Seeing recognition of what we've built over 22 years means a lot. Informa's international reach, data and digital capabilities are exactly what our ecosystem needs."
Clarion strengthens Informa's position in North America, Asia and Europe. The company's presence in the Middle East is minimal, opening opportunities to expand the brands into the region.
