Global exhibition and events organiser Hyve has announced that private equity firm Hellman & Friedman (H&F) will acquire the company from Providence Equity Partners L.L.C. and Searchlight Capital Partners in a deal reportedly valued at approximately $1.8 billion. According to the Financial Times, the transaction represents a significant increase from the company’s valuation of around $500 million when it was taken private three years ago.
The acquisition marks a major milestone for Hyve and reflects growing investor confidence in the global exhibitions and events sector. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the current calendar year.
Commenting on the development, Mark Shashoua, CEO of Hyve, said:
“Hyve has demonstrated a consistent ability to identify the shifts shaping global business early and acting with conviction to capture the opportunity, from spotting high-growth markets in the early years, to pioneering the modernisation of the sector through tech enabled products and matchmaking and more recently expanding the boundaries of the traditional event model. We believe Hellman & Friedman’s investment marks the beginning of another exciting new phase for Hyve, as we respond to demand from the world’s leading companies for deeper ecosystems around the industries shaping the future global economy.
“We are excited to partner with H&F, an experienced and highly respected investor with deep expertise across media and growth businesses, as we enter the next phase of our growth, with strong momentum behind us, and significant opportunity ahead. I’d also like to thank Providence and Searchlight, who have been exceptional partners in accelerating our transformation, supporting us to scale Hyve into a faster-growing and more diversified business.”
The announcement follows a period of substantial growth under Providence and Searchlight ownership. Since being taken private in 2023, Hyve launched its ambitious three-year growth strategy, GO27, aimed at more than doubling the size of the business. During this period, the company achieved three consecutive years of double-digit organic revenue growth and expanded EBITDA beyond $100 million.
Hyve currently operates a portfolio of globally recognised event brands, including HLTH, Shoptalk, Bett, POSSIBLE, Manifest and ASU+GSV Summit. The company manages 31 events across 18 global brands, focusing on creating market-leading platforms that connect businesses and industries worldwide.
Looking ahead, Hyve plans to work closely with H&F to accelerate international event launches, expand adjacent products and services, and continue scaling through strategic acquisitions in high-growth sectors.
Highlighting the long-term value of face-to-face engagement, Hunter Philbrick, Partner at H&F, stated:
“As AI reshapes global commerce, we believe the ability to foster human connections and bring people together will be more valuable to businesses than ever.”
The acquisition underscores Hyve’s strong growth trajectory and the continued demand for high-quality B2B events and industry ecosystems. During Providence and Searchlight’s ownership, the company completed seven strategic acquisitions, launched five key events, introduced new technology-enabled services, and made significant investments in technology infrastructure.
Andrew Tisdale, Vice-Chairman, and Robert Sudo, Managing Director at Providence, commented:
“Over the past three years, we believe Mark and the team at Hyve have achieved a tremendous amount – numerous high-calibre executive hires, seven strategic acquisitions and five key event launches, the roll-out of exciting new tech-enabled services, and significant investments in technology to support the rapid scaling of Hyve’s overall business. It has been really gratifying for us at Providence to work alongside Mark and his team to achieve such operating excellence and growth.”
RAN Advisory acted as financial advisor to Hellman & Friedman, while Hyve, Providence and Searchlight were advised by LionTree and JP Morgan.
