UK - UBM Live, a division of United Business Media, has acquired the UK event E Commerce Expo (ECE) to boost its presence in the e-commerce, internet retailing and digital marketing sectors.
The media giant paid an initial cash consideration of £0.6m for the event, although the deal, brokered by Mayfield Media, includes a deferred payment clause, dependent upon future financial performance, which means the full cost of the transaction could rise to around three times this amount.
ECE is a two day exhibition with an associated conference and awards ceremony, dedicated to e-commerce and online retail. The show, which last year attracted 4,000 attendees, covers all aspects of e-commerce including acquisition, conversion, fulfillment and retention. The event generated revenue of £0.8m last year, and the acquisition is anticipated to exceed UBM’s cost of capital criterion in its first full year of ownership.
The acquisition also includes E Commerce Expo North, an annual exhibition held in Manchester.
“With UBM’s increased marketing reach and muscle, and complementary positioning with UBM’s Internet World and Technology for Marketing & Advertising, E Commerce Expo and its sister products stand to benefit significantly,” the director of E Commerce Expo, Justin Opie, told Exhibition World.
UBM Live CEO, Jane Risby Rose, added that the E Commerce Expo and awards have a natural fit with UBM’s existing customer management portfolio, specifically in the digital business sector.
“They provide excellent synergies which will enable us to further leverage content and networking opportunities for our communities,” she said.
This year’s event will be held on 19-20 October 2010 at Olympia, London.
