Excel London, subsidiary of ADNEC Group, has completed, for an undisclosed sum, the acquisition of BDCG Holdings Company, the 100% owner of the Business Design Centre, one of London’s leading exhibition venues.
Excel says its acquisition ensures a long-term commitment to one of London’s most historic and popular MICE venues.
Originally the Royal Agricultural Hall dating back to 1862, BDC is a Grade II listed venue spannng a 4.5-acre freehold estate and hosts a wide array of leading events, awards and product launches, as well as long-standing shows such as the London Art Fair, HIX and the Surface Design Show. With over 130 events and more than 900,000 visitors a year, the North London venue is a multiple award winner and the current Exhibition News Venue of the Year.
In addition to its 6,000sqm of dedicated event and conference space, BDC also provides over 12,500sqm of high-quality, letable space for showrooms, offices and serviced offices. The estate also includes the freehold title to the Hilton Hotel land located in Islington, London.
The acquisition of BDC represents an important milestone in d ADNEC’s long- term growth strategy, adding a prestigious asset in the heart of London, one of the world’s premier event destinations. This move highlights Modon Holding (ADNEC’s owners) and ADNEC’s commitment to investing in and supporting the growth of the global events industry.
The BDC will become the fourth venue under the Group’s umbrella, which includes ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, ADNEC Centre Al Ain and Excel London.
Since ADNEC’s acquisition of Excel in 2008, the venue has continued to expand, operating c.125,000sqm of MICE space and becoming London’s first International Convention Centre in 2010. With the most recent expansion of 25,000sqm, Excel has become the largest integrated conference and exhibitions venue in Europe. Excel also houses Immerse LDN, the UK’s largest immersive entertainment district, which opened recently.
Jeremy Rees, CEO of Excel, said: “Since acquiring Excel more than 15 years ago, ADNEC has demonstrated unwavering support for London’s event and business tourism industry. The acquisition of the prestigious BDC further underscores this commitment. We look forward to integrating BDC into the ADNEC ecosystem and will continue to invest significantly to ensure both Excel and BDC offer the highest-quality platforms for the events industry, reinforcing London’s status as a leading global events destination.”
Jack Morris CBE, who is retiring as Chairman of Business Design Centre said:“Selling the Business Design Centre, the Morris Family’s flagship business which was founded by my
visionary father Sam Morris 40 years ago, was never going to be an easy, emotional decision. But it’s the right time. My brothers and I are not getting any younger and now is the moment to hand over the baton to new proprietors who understand and respect what we have built. ADNEC have a long standing and recognised history of building, owning and managing venues and I wish them every success in taking the BDC forward. I would also like to thank the wider BDC family – our management team, staff, customers, service partners and business associates – for their loyalty, support, contribution and friendship over the years and wish them well for the future.”
Modon Holding is a Private Joint Stock company listed on the ADX, with ADQ and the IHC Group being its majority shareholders. Through a diversified business portfolio in the UAE, Modon is engaged in strategic investment and innovation.
Website: www.modon.com
Founded in 2005, ADNEC Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Modon Holding, is a diversified holding company based in the UAE.
Website: www.adnecgroup.ae
