CHICAGO — Informa PLC released its 2024 Preliminary Full-Year Results on March 6, 2025, reporting strong growth and international expansions resulting in double-digit revenue growth and more than $1 billion in free cash flow.
The results also announced the formation of a new partnership — Informa International — for the business in the Middle East’s Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
Creation of Informa International
Informa is looking to expand through a proposed strategic partnership with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) that would see Informa’s B2B events business in the UAE and partner markets combine with DWTC’s Dubai-based B2B events business.
“Informa and DWTC have had a longstanding relationship through Dubai’s leading exhibition venues and mega-event infrastructure. We’re looking forward to building on this with an even closer partnership in the future. We’re both dedicated to the power of live events. We share the same growth ambitions for our teams and brands, and we also believe in creating more opportunities for regional and international businesses to connect and trade across the global supply chain,” said Peter Hall, President – Middle East, India, Türkiye and Africa at Informa Markets.
The joint venture, Informa International, is projected to have revenues of more than $700 million and adjusted operating margins of over 30%. It will also bring together more than 40 major B2B brands in growth sectors like healthcare, energy, aviation, food, ICT and information security.
With Informa’s shareholding at 52%, the combination is expected to be complete in Q4 of 2025 and comes as the first phase of the Dubai Exhibition Center’s expansion, which is owned by DWTC, is projected to be completed in early 2026.
“We already have a great partnership in Dubai with DWTC and today’s announcement will further expand our relationship, allowing us to create something quite unique and special together in what is a highly vibrant and fast growing market,” Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive of Informa PLC, stated.
The preliminary results stated, “In 2024, the GCC was the fastest-growing region at Informa, increasing more than 30% year-on-year, underpinned by two growth platforms.”
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Continued Growth in the GGC Region
“We’ve built our business in Dubai and the broader region over the last 20 years and DWTC has been a leader in the UAE for over four decades with a complementary portfolio of show brands. The IMEA region is also one of the world’s major growth platforms,” Hall said. “It’s an exciting time and opportunity for both businesses to do more and grow further together.”
Informa International continues to increase Informa’s well-established presence in the GCC market. Its partnership with the Events Investment Fund and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which formed Tahaluf, launched more than 12 brands since the partnership was established in 2022. Brands in the Tahaluf portfolio include LEAP, CPHI Middle East, Black Hat Middle East and Africa, Global Health Exhibition, Cityscape Global and Money 20/20 Middle East.
The GCC region and the MENA markets have been a great driver for growth at Informa. The preliminary results stated, “In 2024, the GCC was the fastest-growing region at Informa, increasing more than 30% year-on-year, underpinned by two growth platforms.”
2025 Outlook for the Leading Show Organizer
In its growth outlook for 2025, Informa reports that it is expecting underlying growth revenue to be more than 5%, before inorganic additions’ contributions.
The live B2B events business, comprised of Informa Markets, Informa Connect and Informa Festivals, has a target of 7%+ underlying revenue growth target for 2025.
Insights from Industry Leader
“Informa is doubling down on realising market potential in the GCC region. Besides the existing Tahaluf JV in fast-growing KSA, Informa International — which will operate out of Dubai — secures the top position by number of shows in the biggest and most mature exhibition and business events market in the region. In recent years, DWTC have begun to scale their show brands internationally — in the combined business, this will accelerate further,” stated Kai Hattendorf, former CEO of UFI, on LinkedIn.
View the Informa PLC 2024 Preliminary Full-Year Results here.
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