AMERICAS - Publishing and events firm Informa has expanded its global events portfolio with the acquisition of Hobby Star Marketing, organiser of Fan Expo Canada.
Hobby Star marketing CEO Aman Gupta and president Steve Menzie, will continue to lead Fan Expo Canada, along with its existing team of employees, under the new ownership.
“This deal allows us to take Fan Expo Canada, and our other pop culture conventions, to the next level - the international stage,” Gupta said. “We look forward to working with Informa to expand programming, and build new customer experiences, while maintaining pricing levels.”
In 2013, Fan Expo Canada took over both the North and South buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the first time ever, attracting more than 100,000 visitors and 900 retailers, artists and exhibitors across 70,000sqm.
“We are proud to add Fan Expo Canada to both our global network and our Canadian portfolio of events,” Will Morris, president of Informa Canada and CEO Informa’s global exhibition portfolio, said. “We look forward to helping this renowned convention realise its true potential with our extensive resources and expertise.”
Informa Canada produces and manages over 46 seminars, conferences, trade and consumer shows every year, in a variety of sectors including construction, design, craft, art, real estate, furniture, furnishings and food.
Fan Expo Canada will be celebrating its 20-year anniversary on 28-31 August 2014.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uniforge/
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