emirates7 - Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Informa Group have announced a strategic partnership to establish a global leader in exhibitions and event management, operating across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.
This collaboration between two equal commercial partners with complementary strengths will lead to the formation of Informa International, a new DWTC-Informa entity set to be fully operational by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Headquartered in Dubai, Informa International will serve super-regional MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) markets while leveraging its scale to expand homegrown megabrands globally.
The initiative reinforces DWTC’s commitment to tripling Dubai’s MICE sector’s GDP contribution to AED 54 billion annually by 2033, in line with the D33 Dubai Economic Agenda. It aims to attract investments and facilitate cross-border trade through its renowned B2B events platforms. The venture will also strengthen Dubai’s status as a premier global business hub and a preferred destination for the MICE industry.
Informa International will integrate exhibitions, conferences, professional training, and accreditation businesses from both DWTC and Informa in Dubai and key partner markets. This will a market leader with annual revenues exceeding $700 million and significant potential for double-digit growth as it expands beyond Dubai and the Middle East into high-growth global markets.
The strategic venture will establish a global MICE powerhouse by combining DWTC’s international events portfolio with Informa’s UAE-based and partner market events. It will oversee more than 40 market-leading brands across major industries, including Food (Gulfood), ICT (GITEX), Cybersecurity (GISEC), Healthcare (WHX), Energy (Middle East Energy), and Aviation (Dubai Airshow).
Additionally, the partnership will accelerate global expansion by introducing DWTC’s brands to some of the fastest-growing B2B event markets, including the Indian Subcontinent, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.
This collaboration will also enhance Dubai’s reputation as a top-tier global business hub by attracting leading events from Informa’s portfolio of over 100 specialist brands across multiple industries. The expansion aligns with the city’s economic vision and upcoming developments, such as the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) expansion in 2026.
Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director-General of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, emphasized DWTC’s role in establishing Dubai as a global MICE hub. He stated, “With flagship events like GITEX and Gulfood expanding internationally and Informa’s complementary portfolio of leading shows, this strategic partnership will be a driving force for cross-border trade and enterprise, creating sustainable value for industries and economies through the power of B2B events.”
Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive of Informa PLC, added, “We have a strong partnership with DWTC, and this agreement will further expand our collaboration, enabling us to something truly unique in a highly dynamic and rapidly growing market.”
Informa Group, a FTSE-100 company and a global leader in live B2B events, digital services, and academic markets, has been operating in the UAE for over 25 years, focusing on B2B events.
DWTC, a key player in the UAE’s B2B events industry for more than four decades, owns and manages two of Dubai’s premier venues—the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) and the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC). These venues serve as central hubs for large-scale events and city-wide activations.
This collaboration between two equal commercial partners with complementary strengths will lead to the formation of Informa International, a new DWTC-Informa entity set to be fully operational by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Headquartered in Dubai, Informa International will serve super-regional MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) markets while leveraging its scale to expand homegrown megabrands globally.
The initiative reinforces DWTC’s commitment to tripling Dubai’s MICE sector’s GDP contribution to AED 54 billion annually by 2033, in line with the D33 Dubai Economic Agenda. It aims to attract investments and facilitate cross-border trade through its renowned B2B events platforms. The venture will also strengthen Dubai’s status as a premier global business hub and a preferred destination for the MICE industry.
Informa International will integrate exhibitions, conferences, professional training, and accreditation businesses from both DWTC and Informa in Dubai and key partner markets. This will a market leader with annual revenues exceeding $700 million and significant potential for double-digit growth as it expands beyond Dubai and the Middle East into high-growth global markets.
The strategic venture will establish a global MICE powerhouse by combining DWTC’s international events portfolio with Informa’s UAE-based and partner market events. It will oversee more than 40 market-leading brands across major industries, including Food (Gulfood), ICT (GITEX), Cybersecurity (GISEC), Healthcare (WHX), Energy (Middle East Energy), and Aviation (Dubai Airshow).
Additionally, the partnership will accelerate global expansion by introducing DWTC’s brands to some of the fastest-growing B2B event markets, including the Indian Subcontinent, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.
This collaboration will also enhance Dubai’s reputation as a top-tier global business hub by attracting leading events from Informa’s portfolio of over 100 specialist brands across multiple industries. The expansion aligns with the city’s economic vision and upcoming developments, such as the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) expansion in 2026.
Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director-General of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, emphasized DWTC’s role in establishing Dubai as a global MICE hub. He stated, “With flagship events like GITEX and Gulfood expanding internationally and Informa’s complementary portfolio of leading shows, this strategic partnership will be a driving force for cross-border trade and enterprise, creating sustainable value for industries and economies through the power of B2B events.”
Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive of Informa PLC, added, “We have a strong partnership with DWTC, and this agreement will further expand our collaboration, enabling us to something truly unique in a highly dynamic and rapidly growing market.”
Informa Group, a FTSE-100 company and a global leader in live B2B events, digital services, and academic markets, has been operating in the UAE for over 25 years, focusing on B2B events.
DWTC, a key player in the UAE’s B2B events industry for more than four decades, owns and manages two of Dubai’s premier venues—the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) and the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC). These venues serve as central hubs for large-scale events and city-wide activations.