Multinational events and publishing company, Informa plc, is expected to complete its multibillion pound acquisition of global B2B event organiser, UBM plc, this week. The deal, reportedly agreed at upwards of £4bn, will see the combined conglomerate form Britain’s largest operator of business events, with the deal estimated to generate annual cost savings of £50m.

Formerly known as United Newspapers and then United News and Media, UBM’s history stretches back 200 years, with former publishing titles including the Daily Express and PR Newswire. In 2015, the company shifted its focus to B2B events, deriving as much as 80% of its revenue from events and conferences such as Black Hat Briefings and DesignCon in the computer technology space.

Informa’s operations in the events space consists of more than 200 trade shows, with as many as 10,000 annual conferences. Its publication of various newsletters, journals, and commercial databases, including the Lloyd’s List shipping industry journal, have contributed to its expansion to 43 countries and a listing on the FTSE 100 Index.

In 2008, the two companies attempted to merge operations at a reported £3bn value, yet talks fell through largely due to volatile stock market responses to the news of the deal. The revised deal aims to pair the two companies market dominance, with UBM’s strong presence in Asia a key factor in Informa’s interest to acquire the business.

The new arrangement will see Derek Mapp, Informa’s current chairman, take over as chairman of the combined group, with current Informa CEO, Stephen Carter, becoming chief executive. Yet concerns over the fallout in jobs remain a key aspect of speculation surrounding the deal, with reports suggesting that hundreds of jobs, particularly at UBM, remain at risk of cuts.

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