Informa Revenue Growth Driven by Middle East Expansion

The world’s largest events company, Informa, has announced an increased revenue outlook for the year, attributing this growth to its strategic focus on the Middle East. Chief Executive Stephen Carter has highlighted the company’s expectation for underlying revenue to rise by at least six per cent, outpacing the previously forecasted increase of just under five per cent.

Informa has reported already securing £1.5 billion in revenue for the current financial year, which constitutes approximately 35 per cent of the total revenue anticipated by market analysts. Last year, the company experienced a 6.5 per cent rise in revenue on an organic basis, exceeding market expectations.

Underlying earnings are projected to increase between 10.5 per cent and 11 per cent this year, supporting the company’s objective to maintain double-digit growth in profits annually. In addition, a new £200 million share buyback scheme has been announced, following the completion of a £350 million programme in the previous year.

A joint venture with the Dubai World Trade Centre, known as InD, has been formally launched. It is anticipated that this partnership will contribute to a 20 per cent rise in organic revenue. Carter’s relocation to Dubai demonstrates the group’s commitment to leveraging opportunities in this priority region.

Informa is in the initial stages of a four-year strategic plan, initiated last year, focusing on expansion in North America, the Middle East, and Asia. This strategy targets economies characterised by robust manufacturing sectors, fragmented supply chains, and higher GDP growth rates.

The significance of first-party data and artificial intelligence in identifying new growth avenues has been underscored by Carter. With recent acquisitions, including a £1.2 billion takeover of Ascential, Informa is poised to strengthen its market position.