Informa to Acquire Clarion from Blackstone for £2.24 Billion, Spin Off Taylor & Francis

Informa Plc agreed to acquire Clarion, a business-to-business events operator, from Blackstone for £2.24 billion ($3 billion) including debt, the British company said on October 6, 2026. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. Informa will fund the purchase through financing and a share placing of approximately £940 million starting October 6. The company also announced it will separate its academic publishing unit, Taylor & Francis. The acquisition consolidates Informa's position as the world's largest B2B events operator, adding Clarion's 125 exhibition and media brands to its portfolio of trade shows including the Dubai Airshow and Monaco Yacht Show. Informa shares closed at 861.80 pence on October 5. The stock has declined about 2.5% this year, giving the company a market value of approximately £10.8 billion.