Paul ColstonIntegrated event industry group, GL events has announced an 11.3% rise in 2025 Q1 revenue. Revenue for the period totalled €430m. Highlights included continuing growth in South America and several hundred million euros from mega events to be spread over 2025 and 2026.
The FY 2025 guidance for revenue growth is now above 5%.
Of the group’s three divisions, Exhibitions showed the largest percentage increase (23.5%) for the period, with revenues of €123.3m, up from €99.8m on the same Q1 period for 2024. The Venues division showed an 11.3% upturn on 2024 (€111.2m), while in the largest, Live, division revenues rose just 1.6% compared to Q1 2024.
GL events chairman & CEO Olivier Ginon (pictured) said, “GL events has got off to an excellent start in 2025, bolstered by strong fundamentals, particularly in Brazil and France, and by the remarkable commitment of its teams around the world. This double-digit growth confirms our strategic market position as an organiser of major world events and a promoter of sustainable management and operating models for major event venues contributing to the socio-economic development of destinations.
“Our recent success in winning major contracts (for several hundred million euros for mega events spread over 2025 and 2026) illustrates our capacity for maintaining a trajectory of steady growth. It also reflects our goal of building more sustainable events for every type of public. We have every confidence in our ability to meet our targets for 2025.
“At the same time, in an international environment marked by a trade war whose effects are still difficult to assess, we are adopting a cautious approach. True to our vision and ambitions, we will continue to seize the best opportunities for creating value for all our stakeholders and shareholders.”
Despite an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment, and following the strong growth of 2024, the Group said it is now aiming for significant growth in revenue of over 5%, an improved operating margin and CapEx of €80m (down from the levels of 2024 and 2023). On a like-for-like basis, the Group is expecting a reduction in its net debt.