Brussels, Belgium – SMG has entered into a joint venture with Belgium’s Artexis easyFairs that will offer management services for convention centers in Europe. The new company will be known as Artexis-SMG and will be based in Brussels. It will operate separately from Artexis’ event-organizing division.
Artexis-SMG will instead focus on convention centers and fill a growing demand for improved venue management in Europe. “There is a strong demand here in Europe from public and private owners of convention and exhibition centers for specialized expertise that will maximize their revenue streams and help them host top-quality events,” said Eric Everad, CEO of Artexis easyFairs. “Our new joint venture is better placed than anyone to meet this demand.”
Artexis organizes events in 16 nations, primarily in Europe. But it is no stranger to managing convention centers. It runs eight buildings in Belgium and Sweden and has an established knowledge of the European market.
“We share similar values and a belief in the energizing effect that venues can have on local economies,” said Wes Westley, SMG’s president & CEO.
SMG brings its management experience and skills to the table, but also offers a robust marketing capability that will give European venues exposure and sales support in the U.S. “Property owners will benefit from SMG working to send business their way, and show organizers will gain the ability to check SMG venues and available dates 24/7,” said Gregg Caren, executive vice president of SMG’s convention center division.
Håkan Gershagen, who is highly experienced in managing multi-format venues, has been named vice president, business development, for Artexis-SMG.
Reach Eric Everad at +32 (0) 9 241 92 11 or eric.everad@artexis.com; Gregg Caren at (610) 729-7922 or gcaren@smgworld.com; Hakan Gershagen, vice president, business development for Artexis-SMG, at +32 2 740 10 90 or hakan.gershagen@artexis-smg.com
