National Restaurant Association Acquires Majority Stake In Winsight, Blackstone Scoops Up IDG for $1.3 Billion

June 21, 2021

Throughout the trade show and related industries, new mergers and acquisitions are being established as organizations position themselves for future growth and success. Take a look at two major deals that happened earlier this month:

National Restaurant Association and Winsight

On June 1, the National Restaurant Association announced that it has taken a majority stake in Chicago-based Winsight Holdings, LLC, a media, events and information company that connects the restaurant, foodservice, convenience retailing and grocery industries through an extensive portfolio of research, events and industry news. 

The deal intensifies a three-year equity partnership between the two organizations that began in 2018 with Winsight’s acquisition of the National Restaurant Association Show, the world’s largest annual gathering of foodservice professionals. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Winsight will remain an independent entity and its senior leadership team will stay in place with Mike Wood as CEO. The organization will continue to own and operate the annual National Restaurant Association Show, which has not been held in-person since 2019, but is set to return May 21-24, 2022 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The market-leading event will continue to be promoted jointly.

“Together, the National Restaurant Association and Winsight will be better positioned to support the dynamic demands of the restaurant, foodservice and allied retail industries as it continues to rebuild,” explained NRA President and CEO Tom Bené in a statement. “The association’s investment in Winsight reinforces its commitment to support and best represent the interests of the entire industry.” 

In addition to the National Restaurant Association Show, Winsight operates the annual Restaurant Leadership Conference, the tech-focused FSTEC, the Global Restaurant Leadership Conference and Outlook Leadership. It also owns Technomic, a market intelligence firm that provides insights to the food and beverage industries, as well as restaurant, c-store and grocery trade publications Restaurant Business, CSP, Foodservice Director and Winsight Grocery Business. 

The deal, designed to provide Winsight with more fiscal flexibility, follows a difficult year that significantly damaged the restaurant industry.

“In the face of an historic challenge, our industry has shown resilience, innovation and teamwork,” Wood said. “Restaurants are in the early days of a comeback that promises significant growth for the next five years. Convenience and grocery stores have evolved and redefined what it means to be essential. Thanks to this renewed partnership with the Association, Winsight’s market-defining thought leadership will be available to fuel a rebirth.”

Blackstone and International Data Group

Global investment firm Blackstone has acquired International Data Group, a leading market intelligence and data platform for the rapidly changing tech industry, for $1.3 billion.

On June 3, the firm announced that private equity funds managed by Blackstone had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire IDG from Oriental Rainbow, LLC, a subsidiary of China Oceanwide Holdings Group.

Founded in 1964, IDG delivers proprietary insights and data for technology suppliers and buyers on every major shift in the technology market through events, research and media brands including CIO, Computerworld, CSO, InfoWorld, Macworld, Network World, PCWorld and Tech Hive. 

“The high-quality data, analytics and insights IDG delivers to technology leaders are only becoming more critical as the pace of growth and innovation accelerates,” said Peter Wallace, global head of Core Private Equity at Blackstone. “IDG has a trusted brand and deep knowledge of tech suppliers and buyers, and our investment will help the company accelerate its plans for creating even more advanced product offerings across its business.”

The new ownership will allow IDG to invest significantly in additional opportunities for ongoing growth across its technology and product portfolio, including strategic acquisitions to extend its market leadership position, according to IDG officials.

“Additional capital investment from Blackstone will allow us to cultivate our rich history of innovation and accelerate our product roadmaps to bring our customers the deeper insights and data they need to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving digital economy,” said IDG CEO Mohamad Ali. “The IDG management team is also excited for the growth opportunity this acquisition creates as we deliver even greater value to our customers.”

IDG, Inc. and its subsidiaries have made multiple recent acquisitions to further increase its capabilities for its customers. In 2020, it purchased Triblio to expand its SaaS platform and bolster its ability to support robust marketing activation programs. Last month, it acquired Metri to increase its IT pricing dataset, adding IT budget and operations benchmarking and sourcing services.

  

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.