Informa Acquires Clarion for £2.24bn in Deal That Brings ICE Exhibition Under New Ownership
Informa will acquire Clarion for £2.24bn, adding ICE, iGB Live, DSEI, and IFA Berlin to its events portfolio. Completion is targeted for end-Q4 2026, with Lisa Hannant joining the leadership team. The deal values the target at 11x expected EBITDA.
SCCG Take — The transaction cements Informa’s B2B events leadership while exposing gaming expos to broader operational efficiencies. Execution in the first half of 2027 will reveal whether projected cost savings materialize.
Informa has agreed to purchase Clarion, the company that owns the International Casino Exhibition (ICE), in a transaction valued at £2.24 billion based on expected EBITDA.
The deal is scheduled to complete toward the end of Q4 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. This timetable means ICE 2027, set for 18-20 January in Barcelona, will operate under Informa management. Lisa Hannant, Clarion’s Chief Executive Officer, will keep her current position and join Informa’s executive leadership team to lead integration efforts.
The buyer is paying 11x Clarion’s expected EBITDA. That multiple falls to 9x if £50m in cost savings are realized and 8x if £25m in operating profit is achieved. Funding combines dedicated acquisition financing with net proceeds from a £940m quality placing and retail offer.
Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive at Informa, stated that the combination will underscore Informa as the UK-listed international leader in B2B live events, with annual group revenues exceeding $6bn and underlying revenue growth of 7%. The reporting comes from SBC News.
Portfolio Breadth Across Multiple Sectors
The acquisition extends well beyond gaming. Informa gains iGB Live, which relocated to London’s Excel Centre in 2025, along with Clarion events in defence and security (DSEI), consumer technology (IFA Berlin), and energy transition (Distributec). These join Informa’s existing slate that already includes Money20/20, London Tech Week, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Effies Europe Awards, and WARC.
At the same time, Informa is separating its Academic Markets business built around the Taylor & Francis publishing group. Carter noted that the announcements represent continued execution of a strategy that has delivered tenfold B2B revenue growth since 2014.
Forward Integration Priorities
The first three-to-six months post-close will concentrate on meeting delivery objectives, operating within budgets, and executing 2027 plans already committed. This disciplined approach mirrors Informa’s handling of prior acquisitions and sets a clear lane for realizing targeted synergies without disrupting scheduled events.
Reporting: SBC News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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