After a record breaking 2025 and a frenetic couple of months at the beginning of 2026, M&A activity has slowed a little with with just four transactions announced in March. We also look at potential M&A supply issues in the future.
Has M&A in China re-started?
Over the last 2-3 years, M&A activity has been steadily increasing in most regions of the world, one notable exception being China. There have been only five transactions announced in the last four years, compared with a total of 14 in 2018-19. However, 2026 has started positively. In January, Globus Events announced the acquisition of Beijing Qiyang International Exhibition, organiser of food exhibitions across China; and Comexposium has now announced acquisition of 51% of HJT International Exhibition, a Chinese organiser of shows in manufacturing including Interfoam China, SurfacePME and the China International Brush Exhibition.
Comexposium, of France, has made the acquisition through Seven Asia, its JV in Indonesia, formed in 2017 when it acquired a controlling interest in Seven Events, organiser of the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show, Indonesia Motorcycle Show and other automotive events. The HJT acquisition has been made through Indonesia with the expectation eventually of rolling-out the shows there.
Frankfurt’s expansion in India
Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India, organiser of Media Expo,has partnered with BusinessLive Trade Fairs, organiser of the Sign India Expo series of trade exhibitions. Both sets of shows address the signage, printing, branding and advertising industry, and the combined events will be held under the Media Expo banner in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai and New Delhi.
IEG ‘s expansion in Brazil
Italian Exhibition Group has acquired 51% of Nutrition Innovation Summit (NIS) in Brazil, a trade show for the functional ingredients, health and supplement market in a transaction worth RS 20mn (US$3.8mn). NIS was launched in 2020, originally as Nutri Ingredients Summit by Adriano Pegorelli and Cassiano Facchinetti and takes place in Sao Paolo at the end of March. Brazil is one of IEG’s main markets and the portfolio, which it began to assemble in 2022, includes trade shows in the food, health, wellness, window and door, surface treatment, geotechnology, drone, space, facility management, construction and agro-industry sectors. Its largest deal in Brazil to date was last year’s acquisition of 51% of Fenagra (International Agroindustry Feed & Food Fair).
Diversified acquires Workspace Design show
The UK and Europe arm of Diversified Communications, of the US, has acquired Workspace Design Show, a classic UK founder-led business started by husband-and-wife team Charlie (ex IIR Middle East) and Esha Bark-Jones (ex DMG). The event, which focuses on the design of the working environment, was launched in London in 2021 – in virtual format – and a European event followed in Amsterdam in 2023. This is a new sector for the Diversified UK/Europe and adds to shows covering Finance & Accounting, Food & Hospitality, Digital Construction, Tourism, Transport, IT and Geospatial. This is Diversified Group’s second deal of the year, following the US parent company’s acquisition of Marine Money.
Who is building the future while we buy the past?
Some 67% of the 73 event acquisitions announced in 2025 were businesses launched by founders and sold to larger exhibition organisers. With exhibition M&A accelerating and private equity firms pursuing aggressive buy-and-build strategies, a logical question emerges: at what point does consolidation create a shortage of businesses to acquire?
Buyers generally try to tie-in founders post-acquisition but, if too many founders are retained or are discouraged from launching again on their own terms, the M&A driven growth for buyers will not continue indefinitely. What will that mean for the strategy of the PE firms that invest in companies such as Clarion, CloserStill Media (focused in Flashes & Flames this week), Nineteen Group and Easyfairs? So far there have been enough founders feeding the system but the time between launch and sale is shrinking. This may lead to a shortage of scaled event businesses for sale – and stronger competition between buyers for the best of them.
There has been an active move towards investing in, and supporting, founders from businesses such as the Events Venture Group and Manta Media Capital. These moves have, in the UK, led to a dedicated UK exhibition – SCALE EXPO AND SUMMIT – for founders who are scaling their businesses – defined as those growing headcount and revenue by 20% annually for three consecutive years. The event, which takes place at London’s Business Design Centre this month caters for founders from all sectors. Founded by Sam North (Ex-Clarion) and Will Fowler (The Telegraph) and with industry veteran Andrew Morris (Earls Court & Olympia, NEC, Brand Events, Upper Street Events, and Business Design Centre) as Chairman, SCALE not only hosts the London show but also organises monthly founder meet-ups and is launching SCALE Manchester—a more conference-style event—in November.
The events industry is becoming increasingly aware that the founder’s journey can be lonely and SCALE launched SCALE Ventures—a £300k fund led by Morris, providing funding, mentoring, and office space to up to four selected businesses. North stresses that backing early-stage ventures is all about the founder and sourcing them from the SCALE community helps to mitigate the investment risk.
It should all help to sustain – or even increase – the flow of new events for eventual acquisition by established organisers.
Don’t miss: Trade shows in focus at Monetising B2B 2026
The CEOs Alison Jackson (Nineteen Group), Simon Foster (Arc Network), Andrew Mullins (Informa Connect), Tracy De Groose (William Reed), Carina Bauer (IMEX), Orson Francescone (FT Live), Amanda Barnes (Faversham House), Ben Allen (Mark Allen Group), Kevin Costello (Haymarket), Bradley Collins (LegalTechTalk) and Douglas Emslie (Raccoon, Jacobs Media and Easyfairs director) are among the 30 B2B industry leaders participating in interviews, fireside chats and panel discussions at Monetising B2B Information & Events, on Wednesday 13 May, at Stationers’ Hall, in Central London. The capacity is limited to 205 delegates. For full details and booking, click on this link.
