NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Argyle Executive Forum LLC (“Argyle”), a leading provider of C-level executive events for Fortune 500 business leaders, today announced that it has acquired Innovation Enterprise (“IE”), a leading producer of engagement events and marketing services, from Seguin Partners, The Economist Group and management. The transaction closed on May 2nd. The specific terms were not disclosed.
The acquisition of Innovation Enterprise enables Argyle to offer a full set of B2B events, custom research and marketing service solutions to clients. Argyle services will expand to include customer lead generation, content solutions, and a broader spectrum of events regionally and internationally.
“This transaction establishes Argyle as the world’s leading producer of high-touch engagement events, as well as the leading provider of finance executive-focused marketing services in North America,” said Argyle President & CEO Danny Phillips. “Our newly combined entity will produce more than 350 executive events, 200 webcasts, over 400 marketing services campaigns, and provide content solutions to more than two million executives in 2016.”
With offices in New York, London and Boston, Innovation Enterprise produces more than 122 annual events in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia, as well as a range of digital and media marketing services for executives in finance, big data, analytics, innovation, strategy, digital and supply chain functions.
“We are pleased to have found a strong new partner for the Innovation Enterprise assets and employees,” said Alan Glass, Chairman of CFO Publishing, parent of Innovation Enterprise. “Argyle shares a vision and appreciation for the culture, processes, people, products and customer value that we’ve built. All are likely to see expanded opportunities as part of the Argyle network.”
Argyle hosts invitation-only events limited to senior executives from the largest companies in the United States with a discussion-based format for thought leadership. Innovation Enterprise provides a range of highly regarded content to organizations in 11 countries, and hosts live summits, online webcasts, a suite of digital content assets, high-traffic websites (CFO.com), and publishes CFO Magazine.
“Marketers increasingly turn to targeted, high-touch engagement events because of the way trackable, highly qualified leads are created in these environments,” said Phillips. “Business solutions providers will now have an unrivaled suite of lead generation services to choose from, across a range of live and digital platforms in four continents, while our attendee audiences around the world will have a full range of thought leadership content, all from one single source.”
In 2015, Argyle formed a partnership with Wicks Group of Companies, a leading media investor, with Wicks taking a majority position in the company. This union dedicated capital and other resources to support Argyle’s continued expansion.
“We appreciate the vision and development of Innovation Enterprise that has been led by Seguin and the IE management team, and believe this transaction creates many more opportunities for customers, employees and stakeholders alike,” said Phillips.
Kathleen Thomas, Partner at investment bank Redwood Capital Group, LLC, advised Seguin. Graham Curtin, P.A., served as legal counsel to Seguin. Golenbock Eiseman Assor Bell & Peskoe LLP served as legal counsel to Argyle.
ABOUT ARGYLE EXECUTIVE FORUM (www.argyleforum.com)
Argyle Executive Forum is a leading provider of C-level executive summits for Fortune 500 business leaders. Argyle hosts more than 150 annual full-day conferences, private breakfasts, dinners, virtual conferences, think tanks and roundtable discussions for its screened executive membership of leaders of the largest companies in the United States.
Argyle's event and content solutions allow its members, speakers and sponsoring partners to connect in person, in a true peer-to-peer, protected environment to share thought leadership, high-level networking and direct discussion with fellow business leaders. Based in New York, Argyle is supported by hundreds of leading brand partners who receive a range of programs allowing them to access and engage with the company’s membership.
ABOUT INNOVATION ENTERPRISE (“IE”) (www.theinnovationenterprise.com)
Innovation Enterprise is a leading global business-to-business multichannel information provider and marketing services platform, providing an executive audience of decision makers access to cutting edge content across mediums through its properties including Chief Innovation Officer Summit, CFO.com, CFO Rising, the Big Data Innovation Summit, CFO Magazine and others . IE focuses exclusively on engaging communities of key decision makers with influential buying power, utilizing a database of 3.8 million contacts (including a community of over 800,000 C-suite and senior executives that includes CFOs, CDOs, CSOs, CTOs, CSCOs and others). The Company is headquartered in Midtown, New York with additional offices in London and Boston.
IE operates three business divisions:
- IE Events: 122 lead generation focused events in 20 cities across seven countries, bringing together senior corporate buyers and sponsors from leading industry vendors
- IE Digital: Lead generation solutions (webcasts, marketing services, white papers, custom research, email marketing) and digital advertising offerings that enable brands to connect with senior purchasing decision makers
- IE Media: Websites and print publications, including the flagship CFO Magazine