Informa (INF) investor relations material

Strategic vision and growth outlook

• Focus on compounding growth through brand expansion, geographic reach, and new business models, with Dubai positioned as a central hub for global B2B events and exhibitions.

• Ambition to leverage increased venue capacity in Dubai and the region, enabling both expansion of existing franchises and launch of new sector-focused events, such as wellness and longevity.

• Emphasis on partnership-driven growth, particularly through joint ventures in high-growth markets like Saudi Arabia, India, and Turkey, with tailored approaches for each geography.

• Compounding growth targeted from 2025 to 2028, with 5%+ group underlying revenue growth and 8%+ underlying earnings growth, profit growth ahead of revenue growth.

• Commitment to maintaining entrepreneurial culture within franchises, prioritizing expansion and innovation over cost-cutting synergies.

Financial guidance and performance targets

• Targeting 5%+ baseline group revenue growth annually through 2028, with B2B events expected to compound at 6%+ and academic publishing at 3–4%, aiming for 5% over time.

• Margin recovery underway, with a goal to return to 30% adjusted operating profit margin by 2029, supported by operating leverage and product innovation.

• Free cash flow expected to exceed £3.5bn over the 2025-2028 period, with strong cash flow conversion (90%+ of operating profit) enabling continued share buybacks, progressive dividends, and optionality for further M&A.

• Three years of compounding growth from 2025 expected to generate £630m+ additional revenue, £250m+ additional operating profit, and £3.5bn+ in value.

• Middle East and IMEA regions are delivering above-average growth rates, with pricing power and margins among the highest globally for the group.

Business model evolution, technology, and AI

• Events are shifting from transactional trade shows to more experiential, content-driven, and multi-layered formats, enabling new monetization avenues such as attendee pricing, sponsorship, and data products.

• AI and first-party data are central to operational efficiency, product development, and customer engagement, with proprietary tools like Alicia, Lead Insights, Elysia, and IIRIS enhancing both internal processes and client offerings.

• Academic publishing leverages open access, blended content models, and AI for research integrity, peer review, and content discoverability, supporting interdisciplinary breakthroughs.

• Technology investments are delivering tangible productivity gains (e.g., 50,000 hours saved annually), supporting both volume growth and quality assurance.

• Ethical AI implementation framework ensures human oversight, transparency, and multi-layer verification in research and publishing.