Deals and Trends Report – January 2026

2026 Begins with a Burst of Events M&A Activity

January opened the year with a burst of M&A activity across the global events landscape. GMA tracked 11 notable event deals in the first month of 2026, spread across US and Europe.  A series of acquisitions spanning trade shows, executive forums, healthcare events and other specialist sectors suggests buyers continue to see events as buy-and-build platforms, and are doubling down on high-value B2B communities.

As seen in 2025, larger strategic platforms continue to expand their vertical coverage and geographical reach. Connect Media expanded its North American portfolio of commercial real estate and finance by acquiring Networld Media Group, a B2B media and events company in the restaurant, retail, banking and technology sectors. Montgomery Group’s  acquisition of UK-based Halldale Group (aviation/safety events and publications), reflects a similar trend of larger organizers adding complementary portfolios of B2B communities. Montgomery Group is also UK-based and already operates internationally in the sectors like Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Industrial and more. These deals are not just about single events, but multi-channel ecosystems combining offerings like events, publications, digital platforms, and data products.

Private equity and PE-backed platforms were visibly active. MJH Life Sciences (backed by GenHenn Capital) deepened their healthcare education platform by acquiring the Rheumatology Winter Clinical Symposium and simultaneously launching a new rheumatology digital platform, keeping with the trend of cultivating eco-systems with multiple touchpoints with year-round engagement. CEO Roundtable’s acquisition by the Greenhaven Partners-backed Chief Executive Group points to buyer interest in membership-driven leadership communities. These businesses typically blend closed-door events, peer groups, and subscription content which generate recurring revenue and strong retention.

Paris-based Cegos Group (backed by Bridgepoint), a European leader in learning and development, acquired Netherlands-based Euroforum, a training and conference provider in markets such as finance, public policy, energy, data & AI, and healthcare. Nineteen Group (backed by Phoenix Equity Partners) acquired SubSummit, a conference dedicated to technology-enabled subscription commerce within retail and consumer markets. This points to a consistent strategy of consolidating category-leading niche events, streamlining operations, and expanding internationally.

Trade show and industry expo assets also featured prominently. UK-based Media 10 acquired  Futurebuild Events from Easyfairs, and intends to co-locate it with their UK Construction Week at Excel London. Koru Media, a UK-based B2B publishing company, integrated the events The Print Show and The Sign Show. In a deal from Finland, trade fair organizer Mediapro Messut became part of Expomark. Mediapro Messut operates in the crafts, hobby and well-being space, while Expomark operates across multiple sectors such as machinery, technology, hotel industry, sports and energy. These deals could potentially unlock cross-sell opportunities across related shows.

MAD World Summit, a UK-based B2B event for workplace culture, health and wellbeing, was acquired by PMGroup Worldwide, expanding their media and events portfolio, before mainly aimed at pharmaceuticals and healthcare. Lastly, Diversified communications strengthened their Commercial Marine portfolio by buying Marine Money, a producer of newsletters, research, reports and events for the global shipping finance industry.

Sector specialization stands out as the clearest theme across January’s transactions. Every single deal points to buyers prioritizing depth of audience over breadth, favoring brands with committed niche audiences, strong identity and repeat attendance.