The Global Media Business Weekly

How (and why) B2B events are changing…

The “Monetising B2B Information and Events” conference, presented by Flashes & Flames in May, features insightful discussions, interviews and fireside chats with industry leaders, informed by our exclusive eBook of case studies for all delegates.

Across the day, there will be three panel discussions: The Data Challenge and Opportunity; The Real Cost and Revenue Benefits of AI; and How (and Why) Events are Changing.

The Events panel comprises four leaders with experience of managing international companies across B2B:

  • Lisa Hannant is CEO of the 78-year-old Clarion Events, the world’s third largest exhibitions organiser, which she joined 17 years ago. The company is expected to have some £500mn revenue from 125 events and digital media brands in 2025, divided almost equally between North America, Europe and Asia.
  • Paul Miller is CEO of the US-based $100mn-revenue, events and newsletter publisher Questex which has also been growing internationally. Before his appointment in 2018, he had held successive president-level roles in the US at the former UBM and Penton, and at Informa which acquired both companies.
  • Philip Soar – as co-founder and chair – has presided over the 17-year rise of CloserStill Media as an international trade show organiser, now with revenue of some £220mn. He is also chair of the fast-growing, £60mn-revenue Nineteen Events Group. He has headed many publishing and exhibitions companies including the former Blenheim Exhibitions and DeAgostini UK.
  • Greg Hitchen is the CEO who has – for 36 years – led the transformation of the privately-owned Terrapinn from an Australian conference organiser to a $130mn-revenue exhibitions organiser with growing operations in Singapore, Dubai, UK and US.

They will discuss how their own companies have changed (especially post-pandemic) and also how event innovations like meeting-matching formats, confexes, summits, congresses and festivals are creating new opportunities for B2B companies. They will provide insights for executives involved in information and events in the UK and across the world – whether you focus on deep-dive, multi-channel integration in a single B2B vertical or specialise in events and/or information services across many sectors. Our panel of leaders will have predictions about the future of the whole range of exhibitions and conferences, and the possible integration with information and other services. What geographical markets are hot and what are not? What’s the next big idea?

The day’s programme also includes interviews with two other event industry leaders: Hugh Jones, CEO of the £1.5bn revenue RX (Reed Exhibitions, the world’s second largest trade show organiser and part of RELX) ; and Philip Thomas, executive chair of Informa Festivals (including Cannes Lions, Money 20/20, GDC and London TechWeek), a division of the £3.5bn Informa Plc, one of the world’s largest business and professional media groups.

Jones was formerly president and CEO of Accuity (now part of RELX) and also of Reed Business Analytics. His experience of data and analytics gives him a distinctive view across the spectrum of B2B information, events and services, and especially the application of data to trade shows. He is current president of the UFI international trade show association.

Thomas, who was CEO of Ascential prior to its 2025 acquisition by Informa, is a former magazine journalist and publisher, who has, for 20 years, headed the £150mn-revenue Cannes Lions – one of the world’s most successful B2B festivals. The 70-year-old Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (its full name) is an inspiring star-studded mix of conference, exhibition, awards and education for media, communications and marketing. A role model.

Monetising Media will be a real learning experience as well as an opportunity to engage with a wide range of B2B people and companies. It will an intensive day, packed with ideas, inspiration and business networking opportunity.

It’s an event you will not want to miss.

But you should book now.

First, because there is currently an EarlyBird, limited-time 14% discount on the price; and, second, because the capacity is just 200. In order not to miss out on the B2B gathering of the year, please click on the following link:

Book ‘Monetising B2B’

“Monetising B2B Information and Events” is presented by Flashes & Flames, on Tuesday 20 May 2025 at Stationers’ Hall, Ave Maria Lane, London EC4M 7DD. Confirmed speakers include: Mark Kelsey, CEO, RELX Risk; Philip Thomas, Chair, Informa Festivals; Leon Saunders Calvert, President, Economist Intelligence; Kerry Parker, CEO, SelectScience; Mariana Valle, CEO, Insurance Insider; Charlie Kerr, CEO, With Intelligence; Rory Brown, Chair, Realfin, co-founder, AgriBriefing; Tracy De Groose, CEO, William Reed; Hugh Jones, CEO, RX (Reed Exhibitions); Charles Reed, Chair, William Reed; Paul Miller, CEO, Questex; Philip Soar, Chair, CloserStill Media, Nineteen Group; Neil Bradford, CEO-founder, General Index; Mark Allen, Founder, Mark Allen Group; Greg Hitchen, CEO, Terrapinn; Adriana Whiteley, director, FT Strategies; William Jefferson Black, co-founder, Transaction Advisors Institute; Paul Hood, digital media consultant; Lisa Hannant, CEO, Clarion Events; Natasha Christie-Miller, Chair, Sifted, and Senior Advisor, TED Conferences; and Nick Blunden, president, of Business of Fashion.

For corporate bookings, commercial partnerships and sponsorship opportunities, please contact colin@flashesandflames.com