Mike Rusbridge, chairman of Reed Exhibitions is to retire at the end of 2015. 

Rusbridge joined Reed Exhibitions as its chief executive, Europe in 1988, becoming president of Europe and Asia in 1994 and appointed chairman and chief executive in 1996.

During Rusbridge’ s time chairman, Reed Exhibitions has grown from a $400 million to $1.5 billion company and today organises 500 events in 43 countries, across 43 industry sectors with over seven million participants. 

Over the years Rusbridge has spearheaded 150 plus acquisitions including the 1990 acquisition of MIDEM in France, the biggest acquisition in the industry at that date and the acquisition of Miller Freeman in 2000, positioning Reed Exhibitions as the world’s leading exhibition organiser. 

The business is now truly global, having been primarily based in the US and UK.

Reed’s transformation from a confederation of small local businesses, often entrepreneur led, into an integrated global operation with governmental and commercial relationships has been significant.

During Rusbridge’s tenure the digital age has had a profound impact on business and customer needs within the industry.

Reed now offers multi-channel opportunities and has moved, through the advanced use of data and digital capabilities, from being a service provider to pro-actively matching buyer and seller together and developing, through its quality brands, strong industry communities. 

“I find the events industry as exciting and stimulating today as I first found it 36 years ago.

“Reed Exhibitions’ achievements have been driven by a great management team and a very talented group of people. 

“I am very proud of what we have created and leave the Company in the extremely capable hands of the chief executive, Chet Burchett, who has worked for Reed for the past 11 years in the Americas. 

“There is strong continuity of management and we are now realising significant advantage from behaving as one company worldwide. RX has a very exciting future as we develop a digitally enabled data driven business, creating powerful business relationships for our customers,” said Rusbridge.

Rusbridge will continue as chairman until December 2015.