UBM Asia Buys Majority Share in Malaysia-based Eco Exhibitions

November 27, 2012

U.K.-based UBM acquired a 65-percent equity share in Eco Exhibitions Sdn Bhd – owner of sustainable building, design and construction trade show Greenbuild Asia.



Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.



Greenbuild Asia’s founder and owner, Andrew Siow, will remain as a partner and managing director of the company.



“Southeast Asia is a very important market to UBM and to our customers,” said Jimé Essink, president and CEO of UBM Asia.



He added, “Together with our offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, UBM Asia provides a unique and extensive network across the ASEAN. We currently have 30 exhibitions in this region for a wide range of sectors to facilitate our customers in exploring the ASEAN markets which will become one big market in 2015.”



Reportedly the largest event of its kind in Southeast Asia, the last edition of Greenbuild Asia was held Feb. 14-16 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), which attracted 12,000 trade buyers and 98 exhibiting companies.



In 2013, the show will move to the Putra World Trade Centre because of space constraint and will run Sept. 17-19.



This latest acquisition is part of UBM’s ASEAN expansions in Southeast Asia, according to company officials.  



In 2011, UBM Asia also acquired AMB Exhibitions from Siow. AMB’s portfolio of trade shows includes the Kuala Lumpur-based AsiaWater and ASEAN M&E Expo.



UBM Asia became the largest exhibition organiser in Malaysia through its acquisition of the Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) in February this year, according to UBM officials.

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