Incisive Media
Encyclopedia
Incisive Media is a publisher of business media. It is based in London, United Kingdom, with offices in New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and Beijing.
. It was listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange
in December 2000 which valued the business at c. £73m. During the next six years the business completed a number of acquisitions including Matching Hat, Risk Waters, Initiative Europe (Unquote), Search Engine Strategies, Global Professional Media, Asian Venture Capital Journal and Pacific Prospect. In 2004, Incisive Media launched a new web-based conference activity, Conjecture Limited, in partnership with BrightTALK
, a webinar and video
solution provider. BrightTALK
owns 25% of Conjecture Limited.
However, as a public company it was difficult to take advantage of some of the larger consolidation opportunities that existed, so in December 2006 it was taken private again in a management buyout deal back by Apax Partners
valued at £275 million.
Within a few months of going private, Incisive Media completed the acquisitions of MSM International and UK publishing business VNU
Business Publications Ltd, formerly part of The Nielsen Company, from venture capital group 3i
in 2007. In August 2007 the company completed a $630m deal to acquire ALM, an American magazine publisher that was backed by Bruce Wasserstein
, doubling the size of the group again.
However, following the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the downturn in the financial services market, Incisive Media's revenue came under significant pressure and the debt levels were no longer sustainable. In October 2009 Incisive Media announced the refinancing of the Group's debt. ALM
was separated from the Group and is now owned by RBS and Apax Partners. Incisive Media agreed a debt-for-equity swap with its lenders, who are now the owners of the business with management.
The company employs more than 750 people working in London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and India. The new chairman of Incisive Media, Helen Alexander, is the current President of the Confederation of British Industry
. Brian Larcombe, former CEO of 3i
, has also recently been appointed to the Board as a non-Executive.
It publishes a range of different magazines which focus on the B2B market, targeting different regions. In the Alternative Assets Division, there are six different papers covering private equity
in Europe, for example Benelux unquote for the Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg region.
The group's publications include:
Magazines
Websites
Notable former titles include Personal Computer World
.
History and management
Incisive Media is a business to business (B2B) publisher founded by Tim Weller, James Hanbury and Nick Rapley in 1994 with the launch of Investment WeekInvestment Week
Investment Week is an investments magazine that covers news, fund performance and sector analysis for investment professionals....
. It was listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
in December 2000 which valued the business at c. £73m. During the next six years the business completed a number of acquisitions including Matching Hat, Risk Waters, Initiative Europe (Unquote), Search Engine Strategies, Global Professional Media, Asian Venture Capital Journal and Pacific Prospect. In 2004, Incisive Media launched a new web-based conference activity, Conjecture Limited, in partnership with BrightTALK
BrightTALK
-Overview:BrightTALK is a professional webinar and video solution provider which is headquartered in London and has offices in San Francisco and New York.-History:...
, a webinar and video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
solution provider. BrightTALK
BrightTALK
-Overview:BrightTALK is a professional webinar and video solution provider which is headquartered in London and has offices in San Francisco and New York.-History:...
owns 25% of Conjecture Limited.
However, as a public company it was difficult to take advantage of some of the larger consolidation opportunities that existed, so in December 2006 it was taken private again in a management buyout deal back by Apax Partners
Apax Partners
Apax Partners LLP is a global private equity and venture capital firm, headquartered in London. The company also operates out of eight other offices in New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Tel-Aviv, Madrid, Stockholm, Milan and Munich. The firm, including its various predecessors, have raised...
valued at £275 million.
Within a few months of going private, Incisive Media completed the acquisitions of MSM International and UK publishing business VNU
VNU
Nielsen is a global marketing and advertising research company headquartered in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Nielsen is active in over 100 countries, and employs some 32,000 people worldwide...
Business Publications Ltd, formerly part of The Nielsen Company, from venture capital group 3i
3i
3i Group plc is a multinational private equity and venture capital company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has offices in 13 countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas and had total assets under management of £12.7 billion as at 31 March 2011...
in 2007. In August 2007 the company completed a $630m deal to acquire ALM, an American magazine publisher that was backed by Bruce Wasserstein
Bruce Wasserstein
Bruce Jay Wasserstein was an American investment banker and businessman. He was a graduate of the McBurney School, University of Michigan, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Law School, and spent a year at Cambridge University...
, doubling the size of the group again.
However, following the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the downturn in the financial services market, Incisive Media's revenue came under significant pressure and the debt levels were no longer sustainable. In October 2009 Incisive Media announced the refinancing of the Group's debt. ALM
Alm
Alm may refer to:* An alpine pasture* Alm , Austria* The protagonist of Fire Emblem Gaiden* A stadium in Bielefeld, Germany, see "Bielefelder Alm"* An historical liquid measure, see aamALM may refer to:* Abundant Life Ministries...
was separated from the Group and is now owned by RBS and Apax Partners. Incisive Media agreed a debt-for-equity swap with its lenders, who are now the owners of the business with management.
The company employs more than 750 people working in London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and India. The new chairman of Incisive Media, Helen Alexander, is the current President of the Confederation of British Industry
Confederation of British Industry
The Confederation of British Industry is a British not for profit organisation incorporated by Royal charter which promotes the interests of its members, some 200,000 British businesses, a figure which includes some 80% of FTSE 100 companies and around 50% of FTSE 350 companies.-Role:The CBI works...
. Brian Larcombe, former CEO of 3i
3i
3i Group plc is a multinational private equity and venture capital company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has offices in 13 countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas and had total assets under management of £12.7 billion as at 31 March 2011...
, has also recently been appointed to the Board as a non-Executive.
Publications
Incisive Media publishes more than 100 titles (in print and online) and offers a range of conferences, events and training products. It provides information and education for professionals working in financial and other professional services, including investment bankers, asset managers, financial advisors, accountants, lawyers, photographers, IT professionals and online marketers.It publishes a range of different magazines which focus on the B2B market, targeting different regions. In the Alternative Assets Division, there are six different papers covering private equity
Private equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
in Europe, for example Benelux unquote for the Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg region.
The group's publications include:
Magazines
- Accountancy AgeAccountancy AgeAccountancy Age is a trade magazine for accountants and financial staff in the United Kingdom. After running from 1969 to 2011 with a circulation of over 60,000 in print, it changed with effect from May 2011 to an online-only publication.-History:...
- ComputeractiveComputeractiveComputeractive is a fortnightly computer magazine published by Incisive Media in the United Kingdom. It was originally published by VNU Business Publications, which was bought by Incisive Media in 2007. Its sister magazine is The Ultimate Guide series...
- ComputingComputing (magazine)Computing is a weekly newspaper/magazine published by Incisive Media for IT managers and professionals in the United Kingdom., Computings circulation was verified by BPA Worldwide as 115,431.-History:...
- Financial DirectorFinancial Director (magazine)Financial Director magazine is a long-running monthly Incisive Media publication dedicated to the information needs of financial directors. According to ABC, the magazine currently has a circulation of 19,516, making it one of the highest circulation magazines in its sector.Within the wider...
- Global PensionsGlobal Pensions (magazine)Global Pensions magazine is a monthly Incisive Media publication that servers the institutional pensions industry and focuses on managing risk and investment returns.It is currently edited by Raquel Pichardo-Allison.-External links:*...
- Inside Market DataInside Market DataInside Market Data is a weekly newsletter published by Incisive Media providing news for the financial market data industry.It was launched in 1985 by Waters, later Risk Waters Group, which in 2003 was acquired by Incisive Media.-External links:* *...
- The InquirerThe InquirerThe Inquirer is a British technology tabloid website founded by Mike Magee after his departure from The Register in 2001. In 2006 the site was acquired by Dutch publisher Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeverijen...
- Investment WeekInvestment WeekInvestment Week is an investments magazine that covers news, fund performance and sector analysis for investment professionals....
- Post MagazinePost MagazinePost Magazine first appeared on Saturday 25 July 1840, just seven months after the introduction of the Penny Post and was the first publication anywhere in the world to be sent by post — hence its name...
- Professional PensionsProfessional PensionsProfessional Pensions magazine is a weekly Incisive Media publication that serves the UK institutional pensions industry. It is currently edited by Jonathan Stapleton.- Circulation :...
- Professional Adviser
- Risk magazine
- WatersWaters (magazine)Waters is a monthly controlled-circulation magazine specializing in applications of information technology in finance industry. It was launched in 1993 and published by Incisive Media....
Websites
- V3.co.uk (formerly vnunet.com)
- IThound.com
Notable former titles include Personal Computer World
Personal Computer World
Personal Computer World was a long-running British Computer magazine.Although for at least the last decade it contained a high proportion of Windows PC content , the magazine's title was not intended as a specific reference to this...
.
Awards
The group received five nominations for the June 2010 Association of Online Publishers awards, and was voted Digital Publisher of the Year.External links
- Incisivemedia.com, official website
- Incisive-events.com, corporate events site
- BusinessGreen.com, information for environmentally aware businesses
- IThound.com