CloserStill Media Acquires Events Firm ROAR B2B
The acquisition adds five event brands to the international portfolio of CloserStill Media.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Health and Wellness
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CloserStill Media has completed the acquisition of event business ROAR B2B. This move integrates five distinct event brands into the company's existing infrastructure, technology, and healthcare portfolios.
Why it matters
The acquisition expands CloserStill Media's reach by folding established industry events into its global operations. These brands align with the company's focus on specialized technology and infrastructure sectors.
The acquired Environmental Services & Solutions Expo hosts 15,000 annual attendees and 700 exhibitors at the NEC in Birmingham. CloserStill Media previously reached a valuation of £1.35bn during a capital deal in May 2026.
The players
CloserStill Media
A global company that maintains offices in the UK, US, Germany, Spain, and Singapore with a workforce of 900 staff.
ROAR B2B
An events business founded by Duncan Kirk that was previously backed by the private equity firm Apiary Capital.
Duncan Kirk
The founder who established the events company ROAR B2B under its original name, Roar Techmedia.
Searchlight Capital Partners
A private equity firm that took joint control of CloserStill Media alongside Providence Equity Partners in May 2026.
The details
The deal includes the acquisition of the Environmental Services & Solutions Expo, Naidex, Contact Centre Expo, Customer Experience Expo, and B2B Marketing Live. These events will now operate under the infrastructure, technology, and healthcare divisions of CloserStill Media.
Timeline
ROAR B2B purchased three events from Prysm Media Group in 2019.
ROAR B2B acquired Environment Media Group in 2021.
Searchlight Capital Partners took joint control of CloserStill in May 2026.
CloserStill Media acquired ROAR B2B on October 23, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This transaction follows the pattern set by the 2021 acquisition of Environment Media Group by ROAR B2B in consolidating specialized industry trade shows under larger corporate umbrellas. The move signals a broader trend of private equity-backed firms aggressively expanding their footprint within the global events sector.
Attendees and exhibitors of the newly acquired events will likely see these brands integrated into the broader CloserStill Media technology and support infrastructure. Future event schedules and registration processes may shift as operations align with the parent company's global standards.
The takeaway
Large event firms continue to consolidate niche industry expos to capture larger market shares. Readers should watch for potential service enhancements or platform changes as these events move under new corporate management.
Further reading
For more on industry growth, see our Health and Wellness section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Exhibitionnews.
Live Poll
Does corporate consolidation of trade event companies generally make attending those events a better experience?
