Howe and Opie formerly owned IMP events, from where they launched a number of highly successful technology events in the 2000s including Adtech UK in 2006 (subsequently acquired by DMG) and eCommerce Expo in 2006. They are now directors of IMRG, the UK’s online retail association which hosts the UK’s largest online performance benchmark for the retail sector.

Howe mentioned, "Customer service is fundamental and integral to business success, especially in the digital age. We are extremely excited to be involved with the UK’s leader in benchmarking in this area, and recognise the importance of raising standards of customer service across industries. By combining Closer Still’s marketing expertise and our knowledge of benchmarking products we believe we can take this programme to the next level."

CloserStill was established in 2008 with co-founders Phil Soar, Phil Nelson and Michael Westcott having previously run Ithaca Business Media. There they ran Internet World as well as several other highly successful events. CloserStill Media was named by the Financial Times this April as Europe’s fastest growing exhibition company and won the 2017 Exhibition News’ Awards for Best Business Exhibition and Best Exhibition Marketing.

Alexia Maycock, Marketing Director of CloserStill adds. "This is a massively exciting investment for us all. Between us, the team now running the Top 50 have been responsible for running the UK’s most successful marketing and technology events of the last two decades at the phases when they were growing the fastest and delivering the most for their respective stakeholders"

Closer Still Media have also acquired eCommerce Expo and Technology for Marketing, Opie adds, "the synergy between this group of products is the customer, they need to be at the centre of every successful business’ culture, the organisation of the future will be designed to meet the needs of the ever-changing consumer irrespective of the channel"

The Top 50 improvement programme will be at the heart of the proposition going forward. Maycock adds "it is our intention to extend the breadth of industry representation within the membership programme and build the community with responsibility for their customer facing channels promoting best practice across sectors"

The Top 50 Gala Dinner scheduled for the 25th of October in Birmingham is shaping up to be another fantastic celebration of achievement within this sector.

Mayfield Merger Strategies acted as adviser to CloserStill Media

About CloserStill Media.
CloserStill Media were established in 2008 and now run more than thirty exhibitions in five countries with 200 staff and offices in London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore within the technology, healthcare and learning sectors. In the last seven years they have won 30 major industry awards including being six times winners of the Best Business Exhibition and in 2016 were awarded 'The Most Respected Exhibition Company' by the Association of Exhibition Organisers. For the last two years they have featured in the Sunday Times International Track of the hundred UK companies with the fastest international sales growth. Their events include Cloud Expo Europe, Big Data World, Data Centre World, the London Vet Show and Learning Technologies.