Assemble Media Group acquires Building, BD and Venuefinder

Assemble Media Group today announces it has completed the acquisition of a trio of business media brands from UBM plc in a management buyout.

The acquisition includes the award-winning brands serving the built environment, Building and Building Design, as well as the online directory for event professionals, Venuefinder.

The management buy-out is led by Tom Broughton, who has established Assemble Media Group and will lead a team of 27 – plus freelancers – into new offices in east London and Chester.

Announcing the acquisition, Assemble Media Group Managing Director, Tom Broughton outlined exciting development plans for the brands. He said: “We’re delighted to take ownership and become the custodians of some of the most powerful, well-known and respected business brands from across the media landscape. The plan is to continue to invest in best in class, independent journalism that these brands are renowned for. Then for our multi-talented commercial, marketing and event teams to continue to deliver a suite of innovative and high quality digital and live experiences to serve our communities.”

The acquisition comes as Building, first launched in 1843 by the architect and designer of the original London taxi cab, Joseph Hansom, celebrates its 175th year with a year-long campaign looking at the future of the built environment. Meanwhile, Building Design and Venuefinder, which is celebrating its 40th year, will receive additional investment to reaffirm their positions as the market leaders in their sectors. Broughton added: “This is about digital and events investment to help engage our audiences and provide the return on investment and insight that our customers require. But it’s also about delivering first class print products if and when communities want them. Watch this space”.

He added: “The beauty of our new environment is that we can be even more agile and responsive to the needs of our customers and partners. It’s business as usual and we will continue to serve our communities with our established products. But it’s also about producing fantastic new products and disrupting our competitors. It’s a battle of ideas – and we’re brimming with them. For Building this means taking the brand to even greater heights. For BD it means anything is possible. For Venuefinder, in its 40th year, life is set to really begin. And, importantly, for our teams, it means investment, dedicated focus and that we’re going to have a lot of fun along the way.