Excel London Acquires Business Design Centre

Excel London announced on Wednesday the acquisition of the Business Design Centre (BDC) in London.

Excel London’s parent company, ADNEC Group, is adding one more venue to its portfolio, although the BDC is considerably smaller than ADNEC’s other properties. In addition to the two London properties, ADNEC owns and manages the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi and ADNEC Centre Al Ain.

“We look forward to integrating BDC into the ADNEC ecosystem and will continue to invest significantly to ensure both Excel and BDC offer the highest-quality platforms for the events industry, reinforcing London’s status as a leading global events destination,” said Jeremy Rees, CEO of Excel. 

The BDC offers just under 65,000 square feet (6,000 square meters) of dedicated event and conference space and 135,000 square feet (12,500 square meters) of support space. Now a Grade II listed building, it dates back to 1862, originally the Royal Agricultural Hall. Over 130 events use the space annually, attracting more than 900,000 visitors annually to North London. The sale also includes a 4.5-acre freehold estate that holds the adjacent Hilton London Angel Islington. 

“My brothers and I are not getting any younger and now is the moment to hand over the baton to new proprietors who understand and respect what we have built. ADNEC have a long standing and recognised history of building, owning and managing venues and I wish them every success in taking the BDC forward,” said Jack Morris CBE, who is retiring as Chairman of BDC. 

Ambitious Plans for Excel 

Excel will soon open its major expansion, adding 270,000 square feet (25,000 square meters) of exhibition space, increasing the venue’s total to 1.35 million square feet (125,000 square meters). In June, the venue revealed that more than 65% of the available space for its expansion had already been booked for 2025.

Excel hosts some of the UK’s largest shows, including the World Travel Market, which opens on November 5. Organizers say the event will contribute approximately $260 million (£200 million) to the London economy and estimate that participants will sign business deals valued at more than £2.2 billion.

It’s been a busy month for Excel, which recently announced a brand refresh and a collaboration with The Disability Taskforce, a part of The Hobbs Consultancy, designed to set new standards in venue accessibility. Excel says it will produce a new accessibility strategy and roadmap with a commitment to improvements and a long-term goal of making the venue truly accessible for all. Earlier, Excel had revealed plans for an immersive entertainment district that complements its expansion.