In a data-rich keynote address at last month's ABM/FIPP World Conference 2008, United Business Media CEO David Levin outlined the company's progress in reshaping its business into what he called an "integrated marketing partner" that has put community-building at the core of its strategy across about 70 specialist b-to-b markets.
In his current position since early 2005, Levin has been busy overseeing the selloff of businesses not deemed to be part of UBM's b-to-b core. But the company has also been busy on the acquisitions front, spending more than $750 million on about 60 deals since 2005.
In the first half of this year, UBM derived 40.2% of its revenue from events, 24.3% from print and nearly equal contributions from data and services (17.8%) and online (17.7%). As recently as 2004, it derived 73% of its revenue from print.
The changes have had a positive effect on the company's bottom line, as its margins have risen from 11.9% in 2004 to 21.7% this year. UBM has worldwide revenue of $1.6 billion.
Another change, Levin said, was structural, as UBM shifted from a centralized organization, primarily focused on U.S. and U.K. audiences, to a "global investment perspective," a fact reflected in the company's staff of 6,500 employees in more than 35 countries.
|
