The company, which hosts hundreds of specialist business events and conferences every year, has been boosted by a return to live events after the pandemic hit the industry
Informa, the corporate events giant, has seen a surge in sales after striking a deal with Microsoft to ramp up its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
The FTSE 100 company is reporting strong global demand for live events, boasting revenues of around £1.4billion in just the first five months of this year. That’s a 10% jump compared to last year’s figures for the same timeframe.
After the pandemic shoved its events into the digital realm, Informa is now witnessing a robust comeback in demand for in-person experiences, stretching its reach further into markets like Saudi Arabia and China. Chief executive Stephen Carter is delighted with the progress, saying Informa has “changed gears” and their sharp focus on “specialist markets, unique content and internationalisation” is really starting to pay dividends.
Last month, Informa said it had agreed a deal with Microsoft, aiming to weave AI more deeply into its operations to spark innovation and increase productivity. This partnership, which will stretch out until 2027 and is valued at $10 million (£7.9million) to begin with isn’t just a one-way street as Microsoft is set to get access to some of Informa’s content and data.
And it’s not just events. Informa also has academic knowledge through Taylor & Francis and caters to niche industry appetites with specialist magazines covering everything from healthcare to aviation, health and nutrition. The company employs approximately 12,000 staff across its brands in 30 countries globally.
Informa revealed that a significant number of events have already been rebooked for 2025. The firm anticipates reporting annual revenues of up to £3.5billion and an adjusted operating profit of up to £970million, which is at the upper end of its previous forecast.
