August was one of the busiest M&A months we’ve seen in years. July and August each recorded as many deals as the entire first six months of 2025 combined. GMA tracked 10 significant event M&A transactions in August – following 11 in July.
| Market | Event/Organisation | Buyer | Date |
| Insurance & technology | Instech London | Datos Insights | 4 August |
| Finance & payments | The Payments Association | Nineteen Group | 5 August |
| Business, art, sports (invitation only) | Summit | Events.com | 6 August |
| Home & interiors | Grace Media | BridgeTower Media | 6 August |
| Automotive | The Naples Automotive Experience | duPont REGISTRY Group | 8 August |
| Business & leadership | Generis Group | Emerald | 12 August |
| Chemical processing | eChemExpo | EndeavorB2B | 22 August |
| Specialty/trade | Off Road Business Association | SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) | 26 August |
| Leisure | Cincinnati Travel, Sports & Boat Show | Marketplace Events | 26 August |
| Travel | Northstar Travel Group | JTB Corp. | 28 August |
The “adjacent industry” trend
Buyers are expanding portfolios by acquiring multiple events in adjacent industries, building broader ecosystems and taking advantage of complementary customers. In late August, EndeavorB2B acquired eChemExpo, adding to its already impressive processing and manufacturing portfolio including brands like Control, Chemical Processing, Food Processing, Pharma Manufacturing and Processing.
Cross-border deals
In a notable cross-border deal, Boston-based Datos Insights, leading advisory firm in the banking, insurance, securities and payments industry, acquired London-based Instech, an insurance community and producer of industry-leading events.
An unexpected move from Japan
In an unusual move, Japan’s JTB Corp’s announced they will acquire US-based Northstar Travel Group, a leading B2B travel industry events and media platform from EagleTree Capital. JTB is one of Japan’s largest travel solutions providers. Expected to close in September, the acquisition provides JTB with a direct media and events pipeline into the international travel industry.
Nineteen Group pursues high-growth sectors
Nineteen Group continued their strategy of investing in specialised high-growth sectors. In early August, it acquired The Payments Association, the UK-based membership organisation and events platform for the payments industry.
The luxury market is proving lucrative
Another development is the emergence of luxury market experiential events connecting brands with affluent, passionate audiences. Clarion Capital Partners-backed Marketplace Events acquired the Cincinnati Travel, Sport & Boat Show, combining it with their vast portfolio of leisure, travel and recreational brands. duPont REGISTRY, already a leader in the luxury automotive sector, acquired the Naples Automotive Experience, set in one of the wealthiest communities in the United States. Both these deals highlight how curating experiences around affluent enthusiast communities offers significant revenue potential.
Taken together, these deals are great examples of the broader trends shaping the industry. Buyers have long been expanding their ecosystems by consolidating events in similar verticals. Cross-border M&A is common as buyers look to scale globally and access new communities. High-growth sectors are normally a good bet. Lastly, accessing the luxury market has proven quite lucrative. If August is any indication, the second half of 2025 has the strong potential to be especially active.
Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk
Comments are closed.