Informa announces retirement of Peter Rigby and appointment of Stephen Carter

Zug/London: Informa Plc, the international publishing, business information and events company, today announces that Peter Rigby will retire as Group Chief Executive at the end of 2013. Stephen A. Carter, currently a non-executive board director, will succeed him on 1st January 2014.

Peter Rigby (58) first joined Informa in 1983 and has served as Chief Executive or Executive Chairman since 1988. Under his leadership, Informa has grown from a company valued at a few million pounds to a business with a market capitalisation exceeding £3bn.

Stephen A. Carter (49), who has been an Informa board director since 2010, was formerly President/Managing Director EMEA and President/Managing Director Global Managed Services at Alcatel-Lucent, the telecommunications and technology group. Before joining Alcatel-Lucent, he worked in a number of senior roles in the media and communications sector, including serving a term as the Founding Chief Executive of Ofcom, the UK Communications Industry Regulator. 

The orderly leadership transition follows a sustained period of growth at Informa, which now employs more than 7,000 people across its Academic Publishing, Events and Business Information operations.

During his period of office, Peter Rigby designed and implemented a strategy to overhaul the original IBC print publishing business, anticipating the structural shifts underway in the sector. Through a combination of organic investment and several major transactions, he successfully led Informa through the most disruptive era for media companies – transforming it into a first-class digital data, information and events group. It now commands leading global positions across attractive growth markets in academic publishing, business information and exhibitions. In 2012, almost 75% of Informa’s publishing revenue was digital.

The Board of Informa conducted a thorough search process, working with the JCA Group. 

Derek Mapp, Chairman, said: 

“Informa owes a huge debt of gratitude to Peter, who has devoted a large portion of his career to the group, guiding it from humble beginnings into the leading global media group it is today. His boundless energy, enthusiasm and passionate management style has touched many people during his tenure and reflected in the unique culture prevalent across the group. I am sure that all of Informa’s stakeholders, including employees, shareholders and customers, will join me in thanking him for his enormous contribution to the company.

I am delighted that Peter’s business legacy will be continued by an executive of Stephen Carter’s calibre. The Board was unanimous that Stephen’s UK and international experience, knowledge and strategic understanding of the digital and technology industries, combined with his empathy for Informa’s unique culture and commercial success, made him a natural choice as Peter’s successor.”

Peter Rigby, Chief Executive, said: 

“Like all good things, my time at Informa must come to an end. I decided many years ago that I would not overstay my welcome and leaving at the top, under my own terms and with Informa in great shape fulfils that promise to myself. 

Informa has been a major part of my life for the past 30 years, during which time the company has grown and evolved more than I could ever have imagined at the outset. I have enjoyed every minute of it and feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to manage the business over such a long and significant period.

For this, I owe many people a debt of gratitude, but in particular I would like to thank all my colleagues at Informa, both past and present. This is a business that is wholly dependent on the creativity, expertise and tenacity of its staff. This is what has made Informa the business it is today and it is what gives me confidence it will continue to flourish under Stephen’s leadership for many years to come.”

Stephen A. Carter said:

“Informa is a robust and resilient international business, with significant opportunities for growth and further digital innovation.

Peter and the team have built a powerful business. Our responsibility will be to continue the Informa tradition of delivering consistent returns to shareholders.”

Enquiries

Informa PLC:

Derek Mapp, Chairman +44 20 7017 4302

Peter Rigby, Chief Executive +44 20 7017 4302

Richard Menzies-Gow, Investor Relations +44 20 3377 3445

FTI Consulting:

Charles Palmer +44 20 7831 3113

Note to Editors 

Peter Rigby

Peter Rigby has been Chief Executive or Executive Chairman of Informa since 1988. He originally joined the company in 1983, when he was Finance Director of Stonehart Publications. This was acquired by IBC Group Plc, which subsequently became Informa Group Plc, following its merger with Lloyds List Publishing in the 1990’s.

Under Peter’s leadership, Informa has been transformed from its origins as a small conference and traditional print publishing group into one of the largest event organisers and digital information groups globally. In 2012, Informa generated revenue of £1.2bn and adjusted operating profit of £350m, with 65% of its revenue generated outside of the UK and Continental Europe, including 18% from emerging markets.

The repositioning of Informa has been achieved through a combination of organic growth and a number of significant transactions, including two on-market mergers (Lloyd’s List Publishing and Taylor & Francis) and the major acquisitions of private events group IIR Holdings, and quoted information group Datamonitor.

During his time at Informa, Peter has also been a strong advocate of its employees supporting charities through a wide range of business collaborations and sponsored activities. He has led by example in this respect, regularly participating in all manner of activities, including the infamous annual Banana Run, to raise money for good causes. It is estimated that close to £4m has been raised during Peter’s tenure, for charities including MacMillan Cancer Support, the World Cancer Research Fund, the Monaco Association Against Muscular Dystrophies, Sparks and numerous other children’s charities.

Peter is a graduate of Manchester University, following which he qualified as an accountant while working at Metalbox Company and subsequently at WH Smith.

Stephen A. Carter

Stephen is a career Senior Executive in the Media, Marketing and Technology Industries.  In the United Kingdom he has held leadership positions as the Chief Executive of J Walter Thompson UK Ltd (part of the WPP Group), Managing Director of the ntl Group in the UK&I, and Chief Executive of the Brunswick Group LLP.  In addition he was the Chairman of The Marketing Group of Great Britain 2005, and was appointed as a Governor of the Ashridge Business School in 2006, and is the current Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.

He dedicated a period to Public Service, serving a term as the Founding Chief Executive of Ofcom (The UK’s Communications Regulator).  He served as Chief of Strategy for the then Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and was the first Minister for Technology & Communications, where he wrote and published The Digital Britain Report.

Stephen returned to the Private Sector in 2009. He moved to France where until recently he was the President/Managing Director of Alcatel Lucent in EMEA, President/Managing Director Managed Services, and the Group Director of Strategy, Marketing & Communications.

He is currently on gardening leave, and will take up his position as Group CEO-Designate of Informa Plc in the Autumn.  Stephen has served as a Non-Executive Director of Informa PLC since 2010.

Stephen has served on the Board of a number of companies, including Travis Perkins plc, 2Wire Inc, The Royal Mail Group, and most recently Informa PLC.

Stephen was awarded a CBE in the 2007 Honours List for Services to the Communications Industries, and is also a Life Peer.

About Informa 

Bringing Knowledge to Life: Businesses, professionals and academics worldwide turn to Informa for unparalleled knowledge, up-to-the minute information and highly specialist skills and services. Our ability to deliver high quality knowledge and services through multiple media channels, in dynamic and rapidly changing environments, makes our offer unique and extremely valuable to individuals and organisations. www.informa.com