Terrapinn CEO Takes M&A Hunt to LinkedIn - And It’s Paying Off


Skift Take

In a move that bucked traditional M&A practices, Greg Hitchen publicly announced his company's acquisition plans on LinkedIn. This move proved surprisingly effective.

Terrapinn Group CEO Hitchen debated if it would be too crass to share his company’s acquisition objectives on LinkedIn. He decided to publish anyway, and he is happy that he did.

Speaking with Skift Meetings, he shared that the post generated around 25 “genuine responses,” with eight to 10 that are “somewhat interesting," while also attracting previously unknown potential partners.

Hitchen's LinkedIn post read:

Terrapinn is looking to acquire exhibitions and congresses – events of scale. So, if you are looking to accelerate growth or exit, please get in touch.

We have a strong record of success, working with entrepreneurs and associations to create value for all.

The sectors we are interested in are: transport, enterprise tech, finance, e-commerce, life sciences, energy and telecoms. Anywhere in the world.

We are deal agnostic and can do earn-outs or outright purchase.

This public declaration starkly contrasts the typically secretive world of mergers and acquisitions, where deals are usually brokered behind closed doors.

Feeling the Heat from Private Equity

Hitchen’s unusual approach also highlights a lively M&A market for live events, driven mainly by private equity. "The most aggressive of these companies are private equity owned and these guys have a three maximum five-year time horizon," Hitchen explained. "They will say to the operator we've given you x million funds to invest. We don't want you sitting around on that."

This push for rapid growth is creating significant returns. Hitchen said companies buying events at seven times multiple could see returns of 13 to 15 times multiple when sold. “That’s just easy money for everybody, really easy money.”

Terrapinn’s Growth Strategy

Terrapinn, a privately held company with over 30 years of experience, has established itself as a major player in the global events industry. With an annual revenue of around $143 million, the company operates across multiple sectors, including renewable energy, education technology, payments, e-commerce, and aviation.

The company will consider two types of events: conferences with paid attendance of at least 2,000 people and trade shows generating minimum revenues of $1.5 million with substantially larger attendance.

This size and scope of events seem to be the sweet spot for M&A in live events, as Hitchen notes that companies like Easyfairs, CloserStill, and Nineteen are all competing for similar events.

Despite the acquisition push, Hitchen confirmed that Terrapinn is not currently for sale, though the company continues seeking growth opportunities through its global infrastructure.

Geo-cloning is Key to Growth

The company's strategy extends beyond simple acquisition. Hitchen describes Terrapinn as a "factory" with operations in five global locations, requiring quality event brands as inputs. This infrastructure allows for rapid expansion and geo-cloning of successful event concepts worldwide.

"That's a good thing about Terrapin. We have businesses in five locations and it does genuinely provide a platform to roll things out," Hitchen explained.

Recent examples include the acquisition of ARABLAB LIVE in June 2024, a Middle Eastern exhibition for laboratory users in various industries, and NoVacancy in March 2024, an Australian trade show serving the hotel and accommodation market. NoVacancy will expand to Bangkok in November 2025 and the UK in early 2026. ARABLAB LIVE is also launching in London, with further expansions planned.

The Bright Future of Events Media

Hitchen has witnessed a significant perception shift around the events sector. "Events media is a media of now," Hitchen said. "Historically, it was sort of looked down upon a bit, the less sexy part of B2B media." However, while other media sectors face disruption from artificial intelligence, events have proven resilient. "Events media will not be destroyed by AI, they will only be enhanced by AI," he noted.

He sees events’ comprehensive offering as particularly valuable as corporate marketers realize that digital media alone cannot generate the same level of leads, customer relationships, thought leadership, and branding that events provide.

Hitchen said this resilience stems from the multidimensional nature of modern events. "If events are about content, thought leadership, networking, socializing, having fun, and showcasing, this is a big package."

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