TechMedia Has Been Sold to Naylor Association Solutions

5/21/19

Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips' client, TechMedia, the leading producer of digital marketing conferences in the U.S., has been acquired by Naylor Association Solutions, a portfolio company of RLJ Equity Partners. Naylor is the leading provider of engagement and revenue generation services through its outsourced software, communications, event and management services, which it provides to the trade and professional association market in the U.S. and Canada.

"This acquisition is a key step in the ongoing evolution of Naylor's platform of services," said Jerry Johnson, an RLJ Partner and Chairman of Naylor. "Naylor has a unique blend of services in SaaS, communications, events and management that enable them to super-serve the association market in a way no other single provider can. We're very excited about what Naylor and TechMedia can do together."

Founded in 2001 by Eric Gregg and Scott Hedrick in North Carolina, TechMedia produces 20 conferences annually through its Digital Summit series. These multi-day conferences focus on digital marketing and marketing technology, and incorporate sponsor exhibitors plus top-flight networking with brand marketers, digital strategists and entrepreneurs. TechMedia also produces ancillary products for digital marketers including single-day workshops, webinars and a variety of online content.

"Adding the TechMedia conference business to the Naylor portfolio not only expands and diversifies our event portfolio, it will provide the association market with better access to world-class digital marketing content," said Naylor President and CEO Alex DeBarr. "It's just a great business that has been growing 30 to 40 percent each year and brings with it a creative and strong team."

"We're excited to work with Co-Founders Eric and Scott on multiple levels and opportunities," he concluded.

"We're really excited to join the Naylor family," said TechMedia Co-Founder Eric Gregg. "We think there's a great cultural fit that will provide significant opportunity to further leverage and monetize our substantial arsenal of Digital Summit content through Naylor's communications, websites, newsletters and other related brand extensions," Gregg added.

In addition to the Digital Summit conferences, Naylor's event portfolio now includes the management of 14 association-owned trade shows, 10 appointment-based events through its Global Exchange Events division, and 95 association meetings through the WJ Weiser association management division.

"Digital Summit will continue to be the de facto community for digital marketers," stated Co-Founder Scott Hedrick. "Our partnership with Naylor will allow the digital marketing community to further flourish and continue to expand within the association market and beyond."

Hedrick and Gregg will join Naylor's management team as Executive Vice Presidents, and will also have responsibility for Naylor's Global Exchange Events portfolio of one-on-one appointment-based events.

Since being acquired by RLJ in 2013, Naylor has acquired market-leading service offerings in the career/job board, association management software and association management service areas. These services complement Naylor's communications, advertising and event products and provide a wide scope of services that can be delivered on a standalone basis or as part of an integrated package.

Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips is an investment bank for clients that operate at the intersection of content, technology and services. This includes enterprises operating within the media, advertising & marketing, education, healthcare, information services and technology sectors. Over 23 years, clients have included Advance Publications/Condé Nast, Deutsche Börse Group, Elsevier, Hachette, JP Morgan Partners, Microsoft, The New York Times, Time Inc., TPG and Wasserstein & Co., among others. The firm is the TMT practice co-head and industry specialist in Oaklins, the world’s largest and most successful M&A advisory organization in the mid-market, with over 800 investment banking professionals in 45 countries.

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